Time to remember land war dead
OPINION: The Dawn Parade in New Plymouth was as moving as ever.
During the service a poignant Southern Cross sank slowly in the sky behind a line of pohutukawa trees as the national anthem was played. The softly sung lyrics floated ethereally across the gathering of ages surrounding the Cenotaph as logos submitted to pathos and the reality of what we enjoy today was halted by the realisation of the price paid a century ago.
The Wind Wand pointed to a silver moon as the rising sun bathed the coast from Kawhia to New Plymouth in a rhubarb pink glow heralding another day in our glorious, golden autumn. Ironically ships lay at anchor off the coast as reminders of the past as waves pounded the beach, booming out across the scene, echoing the bombardments that killed 18,000 New Zealanders in the ‘war to end all wars’. For those who survived, there were no winners.
But in terms of what we realise and commemorate, the worst is yet to come as the anniversary of Passchendaele, the biggest blood bath in our history is not far away.
Gallipoli was the birth of a nation we are told. The struggle that forged us as a nation. But is it? Are we really a nation?
We’re all taught about Anzac Cove, the Somme and the Battles for Ypres as we should be. But what do we know of the battles of Waireka, Te Kohia or Puketakauere? We know of Winston Churchill Lord of the Admiralty, General Sir Ian Hamilton and Colonel Malone but what about Atiawa war chief Hapurona, Tı¯tokowaru and Epiha Tokohihi?
Surely the Taranaki wars have shaped us as much as WWI so why don’t we revere and commemorate this time in our history as we do the wars in Europe? It seems they’ve been relegated to virtual ignominy in our national psyche. Failed by our own education system.
The first ever Commemoration Day marking the 19th century wars is set for October 28 this year, the same day as the anniversary of the signing of the 1835 Declaration of Independence. Let’s hope this will be the start of a solid understanding of what makes us who we are and in 20 years’ time, will sit alongside Anzac Day where it surely belongs.
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