| Notes |
- [The bulk of the following was written as an English assignment by Moringa Heremaia when she attended Green Bay High School]
Patrick John Heremaia was born on the 22nd of November 1942 at Pariroa Pa, Kakaramea in Taranaki.
He was adopted at birth by Hoani John Pokai Heremaia and Rene Taiaroa and raised at Pariroa Pa, a Maori settlement 4 miles from Kakaramea and 6 miles from Patea. Pariroa Pa in the early days had a population of two to three hundred people. When Dad was born the population numbers had declined to about 100.
The marae life was totally Maori and so Dad's up bringing was steeped in Maori customs and tradition. The young Maori children would go eeling, white bating, gathering kai moana (shell fish), fishing for Piharau or Lamprey during season.
In 1953 the Pariroa Pa Maori culture group which had been trained by Colonel Peta Awatere travelled to Rotorua to powhiri Queen Elizabeth II. Dad was the youngest performer in the group. Maori cultural performances at festivals and various marae and hui were very popular.
The Methodist and Roman Catholic churches were very active at the Pa and dad was raised as a very staunch Christian attending Sunday School, Bible class and Church every Sunday.
Dad and all the Maori children at the Pa attended Primary school at Kakaramea and continued their secondary education at Hawera Technical High School. Dad became a prefect and leader of the Maori culture group. Dad then went on to Wellington teachers college and Victoria University. He completed his B.A. degree course at Auckland University.
His first teaching job was at Ratana Pa the Centre of the Ratana religion. He lived with his relatives the Taiaroa family. He then came to Auckland where he worked at Westfield freezing works in Otahuhu.
Whilst in Auckland he met Jocelyn Sandra Ward whom he married in 1967. During this year Dad taught at Mt Albert Grammar.
Joc and Pat went to the South Island and both taught at Tapawera District High School from 1967 until 1970. In 1970 they travelled over land to England with two other couples taking four months to complete the trip. They taught in London for 18 months, travelling widely.
In 1973 they attained teaching positions in Portuguese West Africa, Angola, where they taught for four years. Dad became principal of ESCOLA INGLESA DE LUANDA [the English School of Luanda] the only English language school in the country from 1973 to 1975. They travelled around Africa and returned to New Zealand in 1975.
Nigel my brother was born in 1975 on their return. Dad taught at Henderson High School for one term and in 1976 came to Green Bay High School where he taught until 1986. When at Green Bay High School he pioneered the establishment of the first school marae in New Zealand. He joined the Auckland district Maori Council and became co-delegate with Dr Rangi Walker to the New Zealand Maori Council. He was appointed to the PPTA multi cultural advisory committee, promoting Maori & Pacific Island languages in schools. He was appointed by the Minister of Education Mr Russell Marshall to the curriculum review committee.
In 1986 Dad was appointed as Principal at Hillary College in Otara. He enjoyed working with the predominantly Maori & Pacific Island community [Samoan, Cook Island, Niuean, Tongan people] and relatively fewer European children, parents, elders & teachers in the school and community. On the Manukau City Council Muliticultural Advisory Committe he promoted the establishment of the Pacific Islands' Councils of Elders and Wardens Association using the model of the NZ Maori Council and National Maori Wardens Association. Working with the Police and the Judges in the South Auckland Courts Ethnic Tribunals were established using the principle of "restorative justice" to work with families in resolving the growing problem of "at risk" youth. Dad finished teaching in 1996.
He went into Real Estate working for Harcourts in New Lynn and sold the Parrs Farm next to Hoani Waititi Marae for $2 million.
In 1998 he was asked by elders of his tribe NGATI RUANUI from South Taranaki to return home to Patea, to lead the negotiating team to settle land grievances committed by the Colonial governments of the 1850 -90's period. In 3 years, $41 million compensation was successfully negotiated for the illegal confiscation of almost a million acres of land belonging to the Ngati Ruanui people.
Pat returned to Titirangi in 2002. He had an accident which resulted in paralysis below his neck. He's slowly recovering going to the Titirangi RSA gymnasium keeping fit and he is retired to enjoying his hobby of genealogy!
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1942 - 2016 (73 years)