The theme for this years ANZAC Day in Uawa was Te Ahikā - Lighting the flame. This theme acknowledged the many soldiers who fought to ensure that we would remain the ahikā over our lands. It also represented the responsibility today to uphold their legacy for generations to come.
ANZAC Day in Uawa this year consisted of three parts:
The first part was the Dawn Service at the Memorial Gates.
This was followed by the rededication of the refurbished Soldiers Plot headstones and the unveiling of a new soldiers plaque at Tatarahake Public Cemetery.
Finally, ANZAC morning concluded with a community buffet breakfast at Reynolds Hall.
In advance of Anzac Day commemorations, volunteers from the New Zealand Remembrance Army and Uawa/Tolaga Bay prepare to restore headstones in the East Coast township’s military cemetery. The New Zealand Remembrance Army’s (NZRA) mission is to record, restore and maintain New Zealand’s war graves to the same standard or higher than those overseas.
Through the leadership of Padre Willy Gray, the rejuvenated headstones and bronze plaques were unveiled as part of the rededication ceremony on Anzac Day. The newly established plaque and Roll of Honour was also read out at the urupā. This plaque acknowledges members of Te Aitanga a Hauiti and Uawa soldiers buried in other urupā in Uawa.
SLIDESHOW | ANZAC DAY 2019
TE AITANGA A HAUITI CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE AND TE AHIKĀ THANK:
The Uawa community, the Tolaga Bay ANZAC Committee, Reynolds Hall, Nga Marae o Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Parkview Florist, The Rememberance Army, Trust Tairawhiti, Tolaga Bay Area School & Kahukuranui, Puketawai Marae.
