Haeata Wha¯nau 1958 Ahuwhenua Trophy win honoured

Above: Po¯whiri Left: Tom Haeata Whanau and guests (L-R): Thomas Rika; Paora Greenland; Eddie Rika; Ariana Rika (Tom's daughter) Amokura Panoho; Hon Willie Jackson; Rewi Greenland; Noelene Reti; and Rowanne Jackson-Greenland. Photo courtesy of Anne Carter Opposite from Top: Ahuwhenua Ma¯ori Farming Award winners 2021, Tataiwhetu Trust; Young Ma¯ori Farmers finalists Anahera Hale and Ben Purua with winner Quinn Morgan; Kingi Smiler, Kiingi Tu¯heitia, Lyn Harrison and Makau Ariki Atawhai. Photos courtesy of John Cowpland

Tom Haeata 1958 Ahuwhenua Trophy win honoured

Ahuwhenua Trophy Awards 2021 was a celebration of the very best of Ma¯ori dairy enterprises, past and present.

Kiingi Tuheitia, Tà Tumu Te Heu Heu, politicians, diplomats and other dignitaries, agribusiness leaders and whànau, all 800 of us, filled the TSB Stadium in New Plymouth for an evening of celebration, reflection, entertainment, great kai and whanaungatanga.

This year was a special occasion for Wairarapa Moana Incorporation, our farms, and our Mangakino whànau. Guests were presented with a short video of the 1958 Ahuwhenua Trophy winner, Tom Haeata. The Haeata whànau farmed what is now Farm 11, on the corner of Scott and Mitchells Roads in Mangakino. At that time, the farm was part of the Pouàkani Trust farms, which is now Wairarapa Moana Incorporation.

The short video beautifully captured the journey back to Mangakino in 2019, of Tom’s widow Te Ruinga, daughters Jhetdyour Haeata and Ariana Rika and whànau. Te Ruinga shared her memories of the win, and life in Mangakino at the time. Unfortunately, Te Ruinga wasn’t able to travel from Australia to New Zealand for this special occasion, but daughter Ariana and other members of the Haeata whànau were present at the awards evening in New Plymouth, for the premier of this video.

Representatives of Wairarapa Moana Incorporation Committee of Management and staff attended to tautoko the Haeata whànau. We were pleased to also be able to share the evening with Ngaire Taueki and her son Darren, and Gary and Catherine Parker. All of these families lived in Mangakino in the 1950s and had a close relationship with Tom Haeata and his whànau.

“It was a time to reflect on those of our whànau that went to Mangakino in the 1950s, the challenges they faced in working the land, and how their achievements paved the way for what we have today,” said Anne Carter, Committee of Management member. “We must never forget their contribution.”

Tom Haeata is buried at the urupa overlooking Lake Maraetai, Mangakino.