Bubbles Mihinui Oral History project

E korero ana a Bubbles mo nga ahuatanga noho i te wa i a ia e tipu ake ana i Whakarewarewa, te reo pakeha, mo tetahi pakiwaitara o Te Arawa me tetahi ano e pa ana ki te putake o nga wahi ngawha. E whakamarama ana ia mo tana mahi kaiarahi, mo te mana whakahaere o nga kaiarahi i tona wa me mua atu o te tau 1938, mo nga ture me nga tikanga raupapa mo nga kaiarahi, e korero ana hoki mo te 'hinengaro' Maori, mo o ratau kakaku mahi, te whakaingoatanga i nga ngawha me nga puna me te nehu tupapaku i nga wahi pera i a Whakarewarewa.

E maumahara ake ana ki tetahi kohimuhimu 'not much of a guide is she', mo wetahi ahuatanga o te arahi turuhi, mo te rahuitanga i te rohe potae o nga ngawha o Whakarewarewa me te tuwheratanga i te kura whakairo. Nga korero mo Millie, Sophia, Bella, Maggie Papakura, Alf Warbrick, Dick Tom, me Mike Moore. Nga turuhi i haramai ma runga tima, te wa e nui ana te mahi, te whakatipu rakau, te tiaki tamariki, nga wahine ki te tiaki i nga kainga. Sophia me te wa i pahu ai a Tarawera, he whakamarama mo te hanga piupiu, ana whakatau kia ratau e ahei ana ki te arahi turuhi.

Bubbles talks about life in Whakarewarewa, learning English, Te Arawa waka region and a legend about how the thermal regions came to be. Discusses how she became a guide, management of guiding 1938 and prior, 'native intelligence' from mentors, uniforms, male guides, naming of geysers and hot pools. Describes burials in the geothermal area.

Recalls experiences with tourists, describes tour tracks and time it took to take a group, group numbers per guide. Talks about their uniforms and payment, rules, discipline and regulations, the government and private reserves, the Carving School. Mentions guides Millie and Bella, Guide Sophia, Maggie Papakura, Mike Moore, Alf Warbrick and Dick Tom and the tourists from cruise ships. Refers to time of no unemployment, forestry, childcare and women keeping the home fires burning. Talks about Guide Sophia and the Tarawera eruption, some of the processes for making piupiu and a message to those considering guiding as a vocation.

Interviewer(s) - Dr Keith Dewar

Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s).

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided

Alternative form available: Copy held at the Massey University Library, Palmerston North