Wednesday 25 of November and the 2nd of December 2015

Eruera Mānuera by Te Onehou Phillis

Matua Wiremu-Huta and Professor Taiarahia Black on the 25 November and including the 2nd of November on tumekefm96.9 will continue their discussions of the foundational Ngāti Awa publication of Eruera Mānuera by his daughter Te Onehou Phillis. The narratives in this publication continue to affirm for the readers, and for Eruera when he was speaking anywhere on the marae and at Ringatū 12th he must have been an innovative, engaging speaker. The chapter contents and context-narratives compiled by Te Onehou aims to recover the aspirations and visions of these rich tapestry of historical sources which could have otherwise, have little public record. It can be said for these types of publications, memory is the only way of discovering the past integrated into the richness of the present context. The individual narratives recounted in this publication are more than personal statements. They are language rich reo literacy-related knowledge and scholarship, where emerging readers and writers in the reo will do more than process information; but add to their own-read reo-led experience, engaging in existing and new knowledge accumulated over a life time devotion to Ngāti Awa whakapapa, whānau, hapū and the many marae of Ngāti Awa, mount Pūtauaki, Te Kooti Ārikirangi Te Tūruki and the hāhi Ringatū.

The publication by Te Onehou Phillis highlighted in its rich reading and its explanation, primarily lies in the fact, that the words of Eruera Mānuera, his narrative work, its content and value deserve a wider reo audience to integrate and apply the imaginative sources of information from this publication. Every chapter attempts to follow its own Ngāti Awa historical discourse and structure, and it informs the application of the nature of living oral history. At its heart is a continues narrative about language historical sources; the structure of meaning and writing using familiar and not so familiar phrases, terms and individual style of expression. This publication follows the well known process of telling the history, connected to the times of Eruera Mānuera. Eruera does not stand alone in these narratives, he bring with him many other Ngāti Awa personalities, where his priorities and his truths are all structured so as to declare the mana of Ngāti Awa whānau, hapū, and iwi. It therefore follows that this publication is reminding us that we must know and honour ancestral history, and that history is from the perspective of Eruera is authoritative.

It is these motivating, encouraging historical publications compiled by Te Onehou Phillis that will supplement and bring new innovative language distinctiveness to support Ngāti Awa Te Toki and Mātaatua Waka reo researchers to undertake reo studies in masters and a doctorate degrees at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.