Me and my Dog Smoke
Tēna Koutou Katoa Ko Hikurangi Tōku Maunga Ko Waiapu Tōku Awa Ko Horouta Tōku Waka Ko Ngāti Porou Tōku Iwi Ko Tūwhakairiora Me Te Whānau A Rakairoa Ōku Hapu Ko Tūwhakairiora Me Kiekie Ōku Marae Ko Maj. Reginald Tututaonga Wi Repa Rāua Ko Mary Rangiwhanui Dewes Ōku Mātua Ko Doctor Tutere…
My name is Doctor Tutere Wi Repa, but everyone calls me Doc or DT. I was born in 1946 after my father returned from serving in the 28th Māori Battalion. I grew up in Rotorua before moving to Wharekāhika/Hicks Bay to complete primary school. We farmed Ōweka Starion and I lived there with my parents and my four brothers and one sister.
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I attended Gisborne Boys High School, but moved back to help on the farm at age 16 in 1962. Eventually, I took over the running of the farm. I loved farming and over the years owned many dogs including my favourite dog, Smoke. I also loved riding horses and pig hunting. I was also a pretty good shearer.
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I married in 1972 and had four children. I spent much of my younger years involved in the wider farming community, the Waiapu County Council, and Maori Affairs.
I was a talented rugby player representing East Coast and Poverty Bay. I even played against the British Lions in 1971 alongside the former All Black Captain Ian Kirkpatrick. My older brother, Rongowhakaata, was a Māori All Black and my father and two of his brothers, Everard and Sydney Jackson, were also Māori All Blacks, with Everard representing the All Blacks in 1937 before they all went off to war. Fortunately. they all returned!
We moved to Tauranga in 1989 to Maungatapu. I went back to polytechnic in my early 40s to study accounting as Cyclone Bola had made farming unsustainable. Also, we wanted our kids to receive better education. I worked until age 74 as an accountant, working with many Māori farm blocks throughout my career. I became a Justice of the Peace and a marriage celebrant.
I have had a great life, and I am very proud of my achievements and especially my children, their partners and my two mokopuna.
"KA PINEA KOE E AU (I PIN ON YOU)
KI TE PINE O TE AROHA (THE PIN OF LOVE)
KI TE PINE E KORE NEI (THE PIN THAT NEVER
E WAIKURA" RUSTS)
TĒNÃ KOUTOU, TĒNÃ KOUTOU,TĒNÃ KOUTOU KATOA.
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