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Abstract of Jane Ruby Karina DAVIS, 2011

 Item — Box: 18
Identifier: H00520002

Overview

JANE RUBY KARINA DAVIS

Interviewer: Rebecca Amundsen

Abstracter: Jean Hawkes

TRACK 1

00:00 Interview identification

00:30 JANE RUBY KARINA DAVIS – Born in 1930

00:41 Recording Agreement

01:21 Self named after maternal grandmother JANE HUNTER nee NEWTON – Name probably HENI changed to English version JANE

02:08 [MOTHER]: PEARL HUNTER Family line down from – WHARETUTU and GEORGE NEWTON a whaler born KILCARDIE [KIRCALDY] in SCOTLAND arrived in NEW ZEALAND in 1820s RAKIURA [Stewart Island] – Mentioned

03:12 Self lived with Grandmother JANE who was born about 1860 OMAUI – GREENHILLS – Mentioned

04:09 Grandfather JOHN HUNTER seaman – Ferryman on WAIAU RIVER TUATAPERE – RIVERTON – Mentioned

05:22 Self born in INVERCARGILL – ST HELEN'S – Family living at RIVERTON

06:07 Mostly lived with grandmother with other family members AUNTY LULLA (?) grandmother's sister [could be JEAN or ELIZABETH] Stepfather GEORGE WILSON – Mentioned

06:54 Childhood memories of RIVERTON JOHN STREET – Mentioned

07:41 Children's activities at the beach – Described

08:21 Opportunity to ride ponies – Later able to have a pony

08:43 Children's freedom and limitations – Described

10:10 Respect for parents – Trust

10:39 House on JOHN STREET – Built by grandfather – Described Milk delivery – SAUNDERS sisters from ROCKS FARM – Described RIVERTON – Mentioned

12:15 Sleeping arrangements in grandmother's house – Described Sister 15 years older than self – Brothers 8 and 9 years older Brothers probably working from age 14

12:58 Activities leading up to mutton bird season – Gathering flax – Kelp bags – Described Locally kelp referred to as kohi (word means to gather or collect) BLUFF – DUNEDIN – RIVERTON – Mentioned...

15:01 End of Track 1

TRACK 2

00:00 … Preparation of kelp bags continues Titi = Muttonbirds [sooty shearwaters]

00:32 Men gathered kelp – Women cut flax and made kete [kits or baskets] Grandmother travelled to BLUFF to help

01:21 Memories of women making kete – Recalled

01:51 Gathering kelp – RIVERTON – BACK BEACH Brother (GORDON) took men to LITTLE TIHAKA (RABBIT ISLAND)

02:39 Time and terrain involved gathering kelp Number of kelp bags required in comparison to plastic pails – Explained

03:40 Preparation of flax for kete-making – Described Allocation of associated tasks Children generally kept away from work area – Kawa [protocol] – Briefly explained

05:12 Self not involved with kete-making – Never been a weaver Other family members passing on knowledge

05:52 Kelp bags still used Packing birds into bags (poha) – Kelp – Kete – Totara bark – Explained Practice maybe unique to Southern Maori

07:42 Time spent with grandmother while other family members went to Titi Islands. Self aged 12 when grandmother died

08:55 Returned to the island after leaving school – Continues to to go there

09:01 Own thoughts on not being able to go (to the island) when younger – Explained Grandmother never attended school – Wanted to self to be at school not the island

10:00 Influences on grandchildren – Brought up within wider family

10:24 Special connection with grandmother – Self youngest of grandchildren Attributes of grandmother – Described 11:17 Daily life – Described Grandmother loved being read to – Self always been a reader

12:04 Self had one doll – Not many other toys

12:27 BAY ROAD mud flats – Incident of 'dirty shoes' – Described

12:56 Maori not spoken by mother or grandmother at home – Possible reasons explained

13:18 NGAI TAHU [also known, locally, as KAI TAHU] invisible – Explained

13:50 Land and Claims talked about in the home – Not in wider community

14:15 Grandmother's notebooks – Treasured – Many now basis of Land Claims

14:52 Elders understood about it …

15:01 End of Track 2

TRACK 3

00:00 … may have been a dream at that time rather than reality

00:36 Grandparents married and lived on Whenua Hou (Codfish Island) – Problems coping with 'village' life on move to mainland

01:27 Mother and self's older sister better understanding of Maori [language] than self

01:47 Past events mentioned – BOER WAR – FIRST WORLD WAR – SECOND WORLD WAR – LAND WARS within NEW ZEALAND

02:26 Comments made by grandmother when self asked what was being said in Maori. Reply suggested grandmother almost denying who she herself was. Possible reason to follow 'Pakeha ways' – Explained Self has strong links to NGAI TAHU and Maori in general

04:04 Family happy to walk in both worlds [Maori and Pakeha]

04:27 Husband and self both NGAI TAHU – BILL (husband) from childhood always went to muttonbird island Self went when a young teenager – Affinity with muttonbird island – Described

05:27 Feelings towards birds similar to farmers with their sheep and cattle – Described Attributes of muttonbirds – Described

06:58 Atmosphere on island – Effects on people returning – Explained

07:26 MARAE – RIVERTON – COLAC BAY did not exist Pre-European there were KAIKA (often shortened to KAIK, further north known as KAINGA – dwelling place) – Described 08:48 JOHN BOULTBEE – PAHI (PAHIA) – Mentioned Local people tended to live on islands – Explained Possibly a fortified village in OTAGO

09:35 Archaeological research does not suggest establishment of fortified villages in Southland

09:51 Unsure whether there was a PA at PAHIA Dwellings on RUAPUKE (Island) – RARATOKA (Centre Island) RIVERTON – Mentioned

10:25 Food available – Mussels – Paua – Fish close to shore – Whitebait – Ducklings Gardens at RIVERTON Site of KAIKA – Present school built there – Area described

11:13 Kaika at COLAC BAY – Food supplies HAPU (section of large kinship group/tribe)

11:40 Kaika at SANDY POINT – OMAUI TUATAPERE – WAIAU RIVER – MANPOURI – TE ANAU – WEST COAST - Mentioned

12:27 Work with STONE TOOLS – POUNAMU (greenstone/nephrite jade) CHISEL – Discussed with interviewer

13:31 Southern Maori nomadic – Less so further north Introduction of illnesses – No resistance – Population diminished quickly TUHAWAIKI (a chief) – Mentioned

14:37 RAHUI (closed season, a temporary ban)– Explained

15:02 End of Track 3

TRACK 4

00:00 … Explanation of rahui continued

00:21 Maori traditions observed included – Hair and head – Not sitting on tables KOU (?) [end] – White flowers – Explained TANGI [to cry or weep] – TAPU [Sacred or forbidden]

02:03 (No speech here)

02:35 Celebration of Christmas – Described

04:18 Effects of The Depression on family – Mother always worked, as a cook Probably a struggle for family

05:10 Introduction of Old Age Pension – Possible reason for grandmother not receiving it for some time

05:39 Collection and use of cod heads (fish heads) – Other seafood – Mentioned Muttonbirds – Mentioned

06:32 Grandmother received pension later on – Aged 87 when she passed away Self aged 12 about that time – Grandmother never in hospital until towards end of her life

07:28 Own family still travel to titi islands – Travel home from other places PERTH (Western Australia) – NORWAY – ENGLAND – SCOTLAND – Mentioned

08:21 RAKIURA MAORI strong bond with (titi) islands 08:52 Considerations and thoughts on returning to muttonbird islands – Feelings change with age Use of helicopter – Mentioned

10:18 'Smell' of the island – Described 'Presence' of those who are absent

11:12 Going to muttonbird islands normal part of life – Comparison made with Interviewer's Christmas

11:49 Early arrival on the island of younger family members

12:15 Involvement of children on the island – Described School work continued

13:42 Children learn about bird lie on the island – Knowledge of trees gained – Protocol of the island

14:14 Duty to repair damaged burrows – Return birds to burrows

14:41 Respect for land is learned along with other aspects

14:50 Access to fishing spot...

15:02 End of Track 4

TRACK 5

00:00 … Safety precautions due to terrain – Described

00:38 Activities of children – Mentioned

01:01 NGAI TAHU TRUST BOARD – Land Claim hearing started 1986 – 1989 Self asked to stand for Trust Board APARIMA MAORI COMMITTEE

02:06 Submissions to WAITANGI TRIBUNAL – Return of CROWN TITI ISLANDS – Mentioned

02:19 Elected to NGAI TAHU MAORI TRUST BOARD – 1989 Husband indirectly a 'member' – Sat through all meetings – Described

03:36 Husband involved with NGAI TAHU FISHING COMPANY JAPAN – Mentioned

04:15 Husband died suddenly in 1992

04:20 Self on own – Good to have interest [of Trust Board] – Busy time for CLAIM Sir TIPENE O'REGAN – Mentioned

05:06 Progress towards settlement in 1998

05:55 NGAI TAHU covers most of South Island TAINUI (Waikato) Claim – Mentioned

06:18 Result not what was wanted – Did what could be done – Claim effected for $170million TAINUI Claim set bench-mark

07:22 Return of Ex-Crown Titi Islands – Allowed to use old names enabling use of dual names – APARIMA/RIVERTON – MILFORD SOUND/PIOPIOTAHI RARATOKA – Mentioned

08:09 Right of first refusal for Government Land that is up for sale

08:25 Settlement not really about money – Return of pounamu

08:44 Required to develop new system – TRUST BOARD replaced by TE RUNANGA O NGAI TAHU

09:04 Companies developed under umbrella of NGAI TAHU

09:14 Development Corporation changed

09:30 Ten years since settlement – Still learning

10:04 WHAI RAWA – NGAI TAHU FUND Help other health and education organisations

11:01 Some criticism when hiring 'best person' for job

11:31 Originally one representative from the south on BOARD OTAGO – Mentioned Now four – TE RUNANGA system – AWARUA – APARIMA – HOKONUI – WAIHOPAI

12:31 Differences between TRUST BOARD and TE RUNANGA – Explained Board required government permission for expenditure over $200

13:55 Settlement made in 1940s – Annual amount

14:45 Benefits to Southern Maori...

15:00 End of Track 5

TRACK 6

00:00 … Return of Crown Titi Islands – Committee of RAKIURA MAORI Department of Conservation – Mentioned

00:31 Now have own administrating body with Department of Conservation as advisers

01:19 Bird transfers – Saddlebacks TAUKIHEPA (Big South Cape) – PUTA HINU

02:31 Eradication programmes – Rats – Weka – Other pests

02:51 Local RUNANGA have own offices – Allocated funds

03:22 MARAE – MURIHIKU – AWARUA – COLAC BAY – GORE Cultural value of MARAE

05:07 Involvement of non Maori in Marae activities

05:24 Local Maori not used to marae – Acceptance – Use by other groups in community

06:13 Self involved with ORAKA [COLAC BAY] – APARIMA – Committee Husband involved – APARIMA MAORI COMMITTEE

07:16 Eldest son to TE AUTE COLLEGE in 1954 – Reasons given Values gained HASTINGS – Mentioned 09:48 TE AUTE COLLEGE – Maori boys - Bi-lingual

09:55 Son not happy but encouraged to stay on – TANE (second son) to JAMES HARGEST HIGH SCHOOL [Invercargill] – PATU to CARGILL HIGH SCHOOL [Invercargill] – KARINA to ST JOHN'S GIRLS' SCHOOL [Invercargill]

10:37 Children brought up in open society – Next generation similar

11:16 [RELIGION]: Self in touch with nature – Attended Anglican Church as a child – Own beliefs changed ATUA [god or deity] – Mentioned

12:50 Involvement in Conservation activities in SOUTHLAND – Described LAKE TE ANAU – LAKE MANAPOURI – LAKE MONOWAI – POWER STATION – DOUBTFUL SOUND – Mentioned

14:17 Self NGAI TAHU representative along with one other as required by Statute

14:51 Thirteen years on SOUTHLAND CONSERVATION BOARD

15:00 End of Track 6

TRACK 7

00:00 … Real feeling for environment

00:11 Own impact on larger government organisations

01:40 Need to find a balance to protect the environment Gains for environment and economy

02:50 Future achievements for NGAI TAHU

03:20 If NGAI TAHU does well – South Island does well

03:47 Met husband going to Muttonbird Island – STEWART ISLAND FERRY

04:25 Husband descended from early European seaman and a Maori lady Female ancestors in WHARE [house] at BLUFF

05:24 First DAVIS may also have taught school

05:50 Self and husband not cousins – Similar backgrounds

06:00 Husband's childhood similar to self Concern at some loss of cultural knowledge

07:00 TE AUTE – Many high profile people have been 'men of Te Aute'

07:36 Son did not enjoy being away from home – School report No marae in Southland at the time

08:11 Self's brother, wife and family lived in HASTINGS – Son able to visit

08:30 Discussions regarding son's future

09:00 1950s – Influx of Northern Maori to freezing works – Intermarriage

09:18 Long-term effect of Te Aute on son

09:38 Preservation of culture where there were marae – Similar things in other areas KOHANGA REO – Mentioned

10:22 Harder for south due to distance – Often same people at group meetings

11:24 Some areas have several marae close together – Not in the south

11:46 Letter written by TIA (?) MOEAHU in 1849 ignored MOERAKI – Mentioned

12:50 Need to relearn history – Reliant on others

13:18 Major joint effort people of that time – Described

13:38 Grandmother's books – Information from others

14:31 Clear road ahead for descendants and for their descendants

14:41 Future is bright

14:58 Always lived in SOUTHLAND...

15:00 End of Track 7

TRACK 8

00:00 … Never thought of living elsewhere

00:07 Sense of belonging – Only lived in RIVERTON – OTATARA – GRASMERE 00:44 Nowhere better than SOUTHLAND

01:30 Closing remarks

01:49 End of Interview

Dates

  • 2011

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Extent

From the Record Group: 1 folder(s)

Language of Materials

From the Record Group: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Southland Oral History Project Repository