Tahiwi, Mairatea, 1908-1997

Date: ca 1951

From: Turakina Maori Girls' College: Records

By: Tahiwi, Mairatea, 1908-1997

Reference: Objects-0610

Description: Three textile pieces created by Mairatea Tahiwi circa 1951. Includes circular embroidery of Maori whare, with peripheral circle containing the words: "Te Ropu Wahine Maori Toko I Te Ora [Maori Women's Welfare League]. Tatau Tatau". The two weaving samples are small rectangles of brown and cream chequer pattern. Title supplied by Library. Quantity: 3 object(s). Physical Description: Circular embroidery on cloth and woven rectangles. Processing information: Description edited and child records created as part of the Curios and Objects survey, 2022. Previous reference: Curios-029-024. Previous title: Tahiwi, Mairatea, 1908- :[One embroidery and two weaving samples. ca 1951].

Date: 31 May 1980

From: Dominion Post (Newspaper): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers

Reference: EP/1980/1752-F

Description: Group around a fire at the opening of Pipitea Pa, Thorndon, Wellington, 31 May 1980. From left to right: Mrs Dovey Katene-Horwath, Hera Gilbert, and Mrs Mairatea Tahiwi. Photographs taken by an Evening Post staff photographer. Hera was the te puhi (the virgin) responsible for purifying and lifting the tapu from the Pa. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s) negative strip with 3 images. Physical Description: Cellulose triacetate negative, 35mm

Date: 8 Nov 1989

From: Maori Women's Welfare League: Interviews

By: Tahiwi, Mairatea, 1908-1997; Szaszy, Mira, 1921-2001

Reference: OHInt-0602-08

Description: Mairatea Tahiwi nee Pitt Porutu born 1908 in Lower Hutt. Gives family background: mother was Mary Emmeline Smith, father was Arthur Pitt Porutu, Ngati Awa iwi. Grandfather Henry Pitt Porutu was one of the first Maori Police and an assessor to Sir George Grey; grandmother Anne Smith arrived from England in 1850; great-grandfather Rira Porutu moved from Taranaki to Pipitea in the 1830s-1840s and married Te Whiti's sister, Awa. Mentions that family owned and farmed land in Naenae, leasing land to Chinese for market gardening. Briefly desribes education, involvement in music teaching after leaving school. Descibes getting TB and being unable to complete nursing training - mentions Miss Lambie. Talks about working as a liaison officer to Colonel Hemphill as part of the Maori War Effort during World War II, surveying Maori women who had flocked to the cities. Briefly describes working with Lady Pomare on the Hospital Committee during the war and involvement on the tribal committee in Wellington under Kingi Tahiwi. Talks about the beginnings of the Maori Women's Welfare League - the involvement of Rangi Royal, role of Welfare Officers Kuini Te Tau and Maude Tamihana, position as president of the first Poneke Maori Women's Welfare League Branch - mentions Hilda Reeves and other branch members. Recalls meeting and marriage to Pirimi Tahiwi, known as Prim. Describes visiting Chunuk Bair to attend the 50th jubilee of Gallipoli, husband representing the Maori Battalion at the ceremony. Also mentions meeting Helen Keller, attending Te Puea's tangi, involvement with the Alexandra Girls Home for unmarried mothers and Arohata Borstal. Describes own personal philosophy of life. The interviewer, Mira Szaszy, comments on the brothers Prim and Kingi Tahiwi and recalls an incident involving Peter Fraser and Ngati Poneke kaumatua Quantity: 1 C60 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s). 40 Minutes Duration. Search dates: 1989

Date: ca1920

By: Tahiwi, Mairatea, 1908-1997; Metge, Alice Joan (Dame), 1930-

Reference: PAColl-1856

Description: Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).

Date: 17 Feb 1995

From: Sound recordings about Ngati Poneke

By: Tahiwi, Mairatea, 1908-1997; Dennis, Jonathan Spencer, 1953-2002

Reference: OHInt-0600-04

Description: Mairatea Tahiwi was born in Lower Hutt in 1908. Mentions nursing training in Auckland, catching Tuberculosis (TB), recuperating in a Waipawa sanitorium, and living in Otaki and Palmerston North. Mentions husband, Prim Tahiwi, his World War I service, teaching, and work as the only post-war Maori employee at Wellington hospital. Talks about volunteer work for Colonel Hempthal of Maori Welfare during World War II, signing the influx of Maori women into Wellington onto the census. Talks about visiting them in hotels, factories and restaurants and their poor working and living conditions. Talks about reports compiled by by Ngati Poneke Tribal Committee Chairman, to Hon P K Paikea, Minister in Charge of Maori War Effort, describing plight of young Wellington Maori women, that were based on her welfare work. Mentions Polly Nathan's support for her Red Cross work. Talks about the Wellington Tribal Committee, established in 1947, its welfare officers, and controller Rangi Royal. Describes Committee members, including Tom Parata, Charlie Bennett, Kingi Tahiwi, Lady Pomare, Pete Tahiwi, John Mason, Takina, Wyn Smiler, Philip Tamahore, Mrs Elsmore and herself, and recalls Kingi Tahiwi was chairman. Talks about involvement in Ngati Poneke and the concert party. Refers to the attraction of the American marines in Wellington. Talks about the Wellington Tribal Committee's role in establishing the Maori wardens, mentions warden Mrs Hina Walker and her daughter Riria. Mentions 18 years of committee work for Alexandra Homes, for pregnant single women, and involvement in Arohata prison. Recalls that Queenie Te Tau and Lord Tamihana were the first Maori Welfare Officers. Interviewer(s) - Jonathan Dennis Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-010545 Quantity: 1 C90 cassette(s). 1 transcript(s) and 1 copy. 1.30 Hours and minutes Duration. Finding Aids: Abstract Available - transcript(s) available OHA 3649; partial digital transcript at MSDL-0153 (file Maria3.doc). Search dates: 1939 - 1948

Date: 3 Jan 1851

By: Pitt-Porutu, Ann, 1830-1878

Reference: MS-Papers-2474

Description: Application to emigrate showing personal information about address, employment and health of applicant. Annotation on front of form shows line of descent connecting Ann Smith and the donor, Mrs Hairetea Tahiwi. Source of title - Supplied Quantity: 1 folder(s) (1 piece). 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Printed form, completed in ms

Date: [1994]-1997

From: Ngati Poneke Club : Records

Reference: MS-Papers-7278-15

Description: A printout of the interview with Mairatea Tahiwi Quantity: 1 folder(s).

Date: [1958-1965]

From: WEA Maori Club : Records

Reference: MS-Papers-7527

Description: Loose papers from minute book for WEA Maori Club (1955-1965); includes greeting cards, marriage anouncement, minutes for WEA Maori and Pakeha Club (1965), reports of WEA Maori Club's annual general meetings and related papers Quantity: 1 folder(s).

By: Tahiwi, Mairatea, 1908-1997

Reference: PAColl-1199

Description: Cartes de visite of Charlotte Porutu, Mrs Porutu, Arthur Pitt-Porutu, and Ihia Porutu Photograph of Henare Pitt-Porutu Quantity: 7 photocopy/ies in one envelope.

Date: [ca 1840-1911]

By: Tahiwi, Mairatea, 1908-1997

Reference: PAColl-5345

Description: Portrait of Ruhia, and the funeral of Thomas Wilmor McKenzie at St John's Presbyterian Church, Willis Street. Source of title - Title supplied by Library The kakahu (cloak) being worn by Ruhia is also to be seen draped over the coffin of Thomas Wilmor McKenzie, and is now in the collections of Te Papa. Thomas McKenzie and another boy arrived in Wellington, as orphans, on the Adelaide in 1840. Ruhia threw the cloak over them to make them tapu and prevent them from being killed by Rira Porutu, the paramount chief of Ngati Awa at Thorndon when, shortly after their arrival, they inadvertently strayed on to a tapu site. Quantity: 2 b&w copy photographic print(s).

Date: September 1951

From: Maori Women's Welfare League :Photograph albums recording conferences and other League events

Reference: 1/2-173500-F

Description: Taken by an unidentified photographer. Shows a group portrait members of the Women's League at the1st General Conference, held in Wellington in September 1951. Members of the group as identified on the reverse of the fileprint include the following (from left to right): "Back Row - Lucy Jacob (Levin), Maura Tamihana (Wellington), Miraka (Petricevich) Szaszy (Ngataki), Michael Rotohiko Jones (Te Kuiti), Puhi Royal (Wellington and Dunedin), Rangitaamo Takarangi (Whanganui), Naki Swainson [Naki Savage?] (Hamilton). Front Row - Kuini Te Tau (Masterton and Dunedin), Frances Paki [Emily Pehipa Matiu Paki?] (Huntley), Whina Cooper (Panguru and Hokianga), Mairatea Tahiwi (Island Bay), Rumatiki Wright (Raetihi)". Title supplied by Library. Quantity: 1 b&w copy negative(s). Physical Description: Film negative

Date: Apr 1953

From: Tourist and Publicity

Reference: 1/2-040094-F

Description: Photograph taken in April 1953 by T Ransfield. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Film negative Processing information: Copyright and Access Restrictions updated December 2022.