Tikanga Maori - Hawea (Guv) Grey

Extract from an interview with Claire Hall, 14 December 2007

Reproduced with permission of Hawea (Guv) Grey

At that time, Maori protocol within the military was of no consequence, I mean they didn't worry. There was a Maori padre, Padre Vercoe, but after me, after our time. And he may have, he may have instigated some type of karakia within the military, within Vietnam, because he was a Vietnam vet. But as far as Te Reo being used within the military in my time, there was nothing. In fact, I'm almost positive – nobody ever said anything to me – but I'm almost positive it was probably looked down upon, you know.

But now, it's not; it's part of the military. I think the only thing that became part of Maoridom in my time was what we called the 'haka boogie', or the concert party, and those people within the concert party who were in Vietnam who were able to do some of the waiata and action songs and the haka, but there was nothing as such. And in fact Ka Mate I guess – everybody – if you weren't a New Zealander you didn't know how to do Ka Mate. I mean everybody and his dog knew how to do Ka Mate.