Just today, my older son, Travis O'Keefe, aked me to tell about his grandfather, my father in law. Travis knew that his grandfather had chosen me to be the listener about his life - particularly his life around the Maori Battalion. Tuahae (or Charlie or Shang) was not one to talk about what happened and what he went through after joining the 28th Maori Battalion. He was a very humble man but he still had the pride of what he was and where he came from. His way was to let things be as they were and as they are. I think that he opened up to me, rather than to his family, daughters and sons. I am very proud that he did talk to me but then, he knew I was genuine and wanted to know. I suppose, with his huge sense of humour, he was also telling me what it was to be a Maori in those times and to pass on to someone what he went through. Many of the things he eventually passed on were extraordinarily funny even in tragedy but that was because he expressed himself that way. I sometimes wondered, because of the humour, whether he was just telling tall tales but when I asked other members of his squad and platoon and so on, they corroborated it all. Amazing, really, and very humbling for this pakeha. So, for my two sons Travis Ira O'Keefe, and Kyle Vincent O'Keefe I will try and give you a history, incomplete though it may be, about your grandfather, I know you are extremely proud of him and your heritage. I know, too, that you will always remember the love he always gave you and the interest he showed in your lives. Now it is your turn to know about him - and for your children to know about their great grandfather and on and on - so that they will know where they came from.