Anaru Mark Kiwara - Te Whaiti Scholar

Kia Ora

The following account is an abridged brief account of life prior and during the Second World War as verbally told to me (the writer) by my mother. It is the intention of the writer that it only serves to point you in another direction as to how to interpret your initial question. Unfortunately my mother has declined a request for a photo and also I asked that you do not qoute me (my full name) or what I have written here with name attached in your final presentation. Thank you for respecting our privacy.

According to my mother who turns 86 years old this month she found the years prior to the war most hardest than the war years. You would need to read and understand this in context and that is life during the depression years was very hard insomuch that few were employed and those that were either had to work extremely hard to keep there jobs or the work was limited to perhaps a few hours here and there. You had to make do with your lot as the saying goes. However circumstances changed with the outbreak of war. Our men and women were taken overseas to serve in the war and also this war needed to be fuelled and fed and armoured. Thus the cogs of industry began turning and our women filled those vacancies left by our departing soilders. Opportunity created the vehicle to survive, true to say that in spite of the horrors of war many those back home were indeed being spared and living in freedom. Hard? It depends on how you look at it in various ways. Definitely in that our loved ones were taken away and for many never to see them again. Lifestyle wise - the war created opportunites for those back home to continue to keep the home fires burning in some instances many made considerable tidy profits from the war!

In closing life during the war took its toll in many shapes and forms what is most interesting is that everyone pulled together and worked towards a common goal and that is freedom for all. It can be said that together they developed a culture which provided them with a new sense of belonging and indeed enriched them far more than we may ever know or will know!

Kia Ora

Anaru Mark Kiwara

Kia ora The man in the uniform is my dad Royal Waa (your grandfather my niece) and the man in the suit next to him is his father (Te) Manu Waa (your greatgrandfather). I think the lady next to my dad is his sister Napi Waa. Sorry niece, only just seen this picture so only now able to make corrections.