The 28th Maori Battalion

Pā Jack is having a korero with us today about the 28th Maori Battalion and how it is one of the famous Maori roopu (group).

World War II - Pā Jack's Slides

They mustered at the Palmerston North Show grounds in 1940. and ended up in Japan. Some of the countries they visited are Britain, Crete, North Africa, Greece, Italy and Japan.

We got surrounded and ambushed in Crete, but we got out and left Crete. On to North Africa, where they joined forces with Canadians and the British.

They were the only armed force who fought at night. From Greece they went into Serbia (where Mihailo is from). The Serbians helped hide some of the Battalion. Pā also has whanau who have Yugoslavian names to honour the connections made in that time.

The Showgrounds were covered in little white tents. The warriors needed to be single men who would be ready to fight. The Maori King did not agree with Maori Warriors heading to fight as it could nearly wipe out the Maori Population. There were 4 different groups in the Maori Battalion. Mac was a pakeha who part of the Maori Battlion. He was HUGE! He left his Battalion to join Ngati Walkabout.

Te Rau o te Aroha - Rau stands for the symbol of a leaf which is a sign in regards to the food - vegetables, kaimoana, meat, bread that is being loaded into the wharekai in respect for the people who are visiting.