Pirimi Pererika Tahiwi
Born 16 Sept 1890 - Died Jul 1969
- Service number
- WWI 16/304 AWMM
- WWII 802676 AWMM
- Also known as
- Pirimi Perarika AWMM
- Prim AWMM
- Pirimi Tahiwi AWMM
- Pirimi Tawhiti AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Inter War Captain/Military AWMM New Zealand (Maori) Pioneer Battalion AWMM
- WW2 Captain/Military AWMM New Zealand Army instructional Unit, Papakura Military Camp AWMM
- War
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Pirimi Pererika AWMM
- Surname
- Tahiwi AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Pirimi Perarika AWMM
- Prim AWMM
- Pirimi Tahiwi AWMM
- Pirimi Tawhiti AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 16/304 AWMM
- WWII 802676 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
- Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngā Iwi o Tainui, Tainui, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM
- Ngāti Whakaue, Ngā Iwi o Te Arawa, Te Arawa, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM
- Ngāti Mai i ōtaki, Ngāti Raukawa ki Te Tonga, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngā Iwi o Tainui, Tainui, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM
- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 16 Sept 1890 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- Son of Rawiri Rota & Keita TAWHITIPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 9 April 2024 - Military record
- Address before enlistment
- Pre 1914 AWMM Otaki, New Zealand AWMM
- Pre 1939 AWMM Otaki, New Zealand AWMM
- Unknown AWMM Otaki, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- Next of kin
- Rawiri Rota Tahiwi (father), Otaki, New Zealand AWMM
- Rawiri Rota Tahiwi (father), Otaki, New Zealand AWMM
- Rawiri Rota Tahiwi (father), Otaki, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 14 Feb 1915 AWMM Single AWMM
- Pre 26 Jul 1917 AWMM Single AWMM
- Unknown AWMM Single AWMM
- 1943 Pirimi TAHIWI married Mairatea PITT-PORUTUPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 9 April 2024 - https://otakitoday.com/pirimi
Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
- 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
- France and Germany (TBC) AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 16/304 AWMM
- WWII 802676 AWMM
- Military service
- 7th (Wellington West Coast) Regiment AWMM
- 2nd Maori Battalion AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- WW1 1914 AWMM Teacher/Civilian AWMM
- WW1 1939 AWMM Teacher/Civilian AWMM
- WW2 Unknown AWMM Retired/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 14 Feb 1915-26 Mar 1915 AWMM
HMNZT 20 AWMM Vessel was Warrimoo AWMM Captain/Military AWMM A Company AWMM Not known AWMM - WW1 26 Jul 1917-24 Sep 1917 AWMM
HMNZT 90 AWMM Vessel was Ulimaroa AWMM Captain/Military AWMM 20th Reinforcements AWMM Maori Contingent AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM - WW2 Captain/Military AWMM New Zealand Army AWMM
3rd Embarkation AWMM
- WW1 14 Feb 1915-26 Mar 1915 AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Wounded 1915 AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Inter War 1 May 1919 AWMM
End of war AWMM
Captain/Military AWMM
New Zealand (Maori) Pioneer Battalion AWMM - WW2 1 Aug 1943 AWMM
Posted to retirement list AWMM
Captain/Military AWMM
New Zealand Army instructional Unit, Papakura Military Camp AWMM
- Inter War 1 May 1919 AWMM
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Pirimi Pererika Tahiwi was born in New Zealand on 16 September 1890. Before World War I he worked as a school teacher at Ōtaki. He was the brother of Henare Tahiwi, who also served during the war.
Tahiwi joined the Māori Contingent in 1914 and initially served as a Private before being promoted to Sergeant. He left New Zealand with the 1st Māori Contingent and served in Egypt before taking part in the Gallipoli campaign. He was wounded at Gallipoli, later returned to the peninsula, and continued his service there.
Together with Harry Dansey, Tahiwi helped introduce the haka “Ka mate, ka mate, ka ora, ka ora” to the Gallipoli hills, an episode that became associated with the presence of the Māori Contingent during the campaign.
After Gallipoli, Tahiwi continued serving with the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion. He returned to New Zealand for a period of training before again going overseas and rejoining the front. His service took him to the Western Front in France and Belgium, where the Pioneer Battalion supported the New Zealand Division through demanding engineering and labouring work.
Tahiwi was promoted to commissioned rank and served as a Captain. His World War I service included Egypt, Gallipoli and the Western Front, and he was entitled to the 1914–15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He later appeared in the Supplementary Nominal Roll as an ex-member of the 1st Māori Contingent.
At the end of the war, Tahiwi was given the honour of leading New Zealand troops through London to a service at Westminster Abbey, an event later regarded as the first Anzac service.
After returning to New Zealand, Tahiwi resumed civilian life at Ōtaki. He returned to teaching and was also involved in rugby and the local life-saving club.
During World War II, Tahiwi again served with the New Zealand Army, this time on the instructional staff. He held the rank of Captain and served as Adjutant of the 28th (Māori) Battalion, but did not embark overseas.
In 1943 he married Mairatea Pitt-Porou, of Ngāti Awa, who was later appointed an MBE in 1954. He later lived in Wellington and died there on 30 July 1969, aged 78. AWMM - A Gallipoli Soldier Remembered
tahiwiweb 151x300 Voices From The Past
25th of April is a date still deep-rooted in the memory of all New Zealanders. It symbolises the start of the disastrous Gallipoli campaign but also the enduring day in history, known as Anzac Day. It was a campaign with a casualty rate of 7500 Kiwi troops injured, and 2721 killed. Amongst those who were wounded was a school teacher and Maori All Black; Captain Pirimi Tahiwi. His medals are on display in the National Army Museum’s Medal Repository.
In June 1915, Tahiwi sailed to Gallipoli and on the 6th of August he and Captain Roger Dansey led a company in the battle of Sari Bair. For this attack Tahiwi and Dansey led their men in the famous Te Rauparaha’s haka, ‘Ka mate, ka ora, ka ora’ war cry as they set about clearing Turkish trenches. Unfortunately, the next day Captain Pirimi Tahiwi was shot in the neck and was evacuated to a hospital in England. He became one of the 89 Maori wounded in the attack.Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 4 September 2015 - http://www.armymuseum.co.nz/kiwis-at-war/voices-from-the-past/
- Pirimi Pererika Tahiwi was born in New Zealand on 16 September 1890. Before World War I he worked as a school teacher at Ōtaki. He was the brother of Henare Tahiwi, who also served during the war.
About death
- Death
- Jul 1969 AWMM
Age 78 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- Rangiatea Church Cemetery, Te Rauparaha Street, Otaki, New Zealand AWMM
- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
- Obituary: Evening Post 31 July 1969 p.15 AWMM
- He died at Wellington on 30 July 1969, survived by his wife; they did not have any children. After a service at St Paul's Cathedral, the cortège travelled north to the Raukawa marae. Pirimi Tāhiwi is buried in the Rangiātea Church cemetery, ŌtakiPublic - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 21 April 2024 - https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/4t1/tahiwi-pirimi-pererika
- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file 1914 - 1946
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R20951574
Further Reference - Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.
http://www.dnzb.govt.nz
Sources Used - Roll of Honour. (1915, August 27). Evening Post, p. 2. Retrieved from Papers Past.
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast
Sources Used - Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies
Sources Used - Obituary: Te Ao Hou, 1970, no. 68 p. 3. URL:
http://teaohou.natlib.govt.nz/journals/teaohou/issue/Mao68TeA/c1.html
Further Reference - Photograph: Among the Anzac veterans 1965 who returned to Gallipoli for the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the original landing were Captain Pirimi Tahiwi and Mrs Tahiwi (Te Ao Hou photos below, far left and centre), Mr Jack Hiroti (see photo below, right) and Mr Wati Barclay
http://teaohou.natlib.govt.nz/journals/teaohou/image/Mao51TeA/Mao51TeA030.html
Further Reference - Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Essay.
http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/DNZB/alt_essayBody.asp?essayID=4T1
Further Reference - Te Ao Hou 1965 no. 51 June p. 28.
http://teaohou.natlib.govt.nz/journals/teaohou/issue/Mao51TeA/c12.html
Further Reference - Anzac: Sights and Sounds of World War I
http://anzacsightsound.org/audios/no-bayonet-needed-e-hara-te-peneti-i-mau
Further Reference - Ferguson, S. (23 April 2015). 'The haka did the trick'. RNZ.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/271343/'the-haka-did-the-trick'
Further Reference - Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7198002
Further Reference - Ngā Taonga
https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=313028
Further Reference - Paterson, Lachy. (24 October 2020). The forgotten Maori Battalion. maorihomefront.nz
https://www.maorihomefront.nz/en/whanau-stories/the-forgotten-maori-battalion/
Further Reference - Johnston, Sarah. (2023). “With the boys overseas: How Homefront listeners shaped the work of Aotearoa New Zealand's first battlefront broadcasters”. New Zealand Journal of Public History, 9, 33-58.
https://phanza.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Sarah-Johnston-With-the-Boys-Overseas.pdf
Further Reference - Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20201108000000/https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-CowMaor.html
Further Reference
- Military personnel file 1914 - 1946
- References
- Taylor, A. (1998). The New Zealand roll of honour : New Zealanders who have served their country in peace and war : 150 years, 1845-1995. Auckland, N.Z.: Roll of Honour Publications.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 708 - New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1918). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume III. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
69: 38 - The Evening Post
Obituary: Evening Post 31 July 1969 p.15 - New Zealand. Army. 1st Maori Contingent. Scroll of the 1st New Zealand Maori Contingent, 1915. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-624.
- Macdonald, A. G. (1915) A. G. Macdonald Album 2. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tamaki Paenga Hira. PH-ALB-546.
- Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd.
- Ko te Reo Huringa Tau o te Ope Maori Tuarua, i noho ki Remuera, Ohaeawai, 1942-43: The Anniversary Magazine of the Second Maori Battalion, Remuera, Ohaeawai 1942-1943. Patrick Smyth Papers, MS-2002-147, Auckland War Memorial Museum.
- Nominal Roll of Members of the 2nd Maori Battalion, 26th January 1943. Part of the 2nd Maori Battalion Anniversary Magazine. (MS-2002-147). Auckland War Memorial Museum.
- Iwi, Hapū, Rohe and additional whakapapa information kindly provided from “Ngāti Raukawa and 20th century wars. Ngā Pakanga o Te Ao. Participation, Price, and Post-War Experience.” Research conducted by Te Kenehi Teira and Heeni Collins (2022). Report commissioned by Crown Forestry Rental Trust, Wellington (Wai 2200 Porirua ki Manawatu Inquiry).
- Ngāti Raukawa in World War 2 - 1939-1945 & further (credit to Reuben Waaka, Diane Taylor, Te Kenehi Teira). Part of “Ngāti Raukawa and 20th century wars. Ngā Pakanga o Te Ao. Participation, Price, and Post-War Experience.” Research conducted by Te Kenehi Teira and Heeni Collins (2022). Report commissioned by Crown Forestry Rental Trust, Wellington (Wai 2200 Porirua ki Manawatu Inquiry).
- Iwi, Hapū, Rohe and additional whakapapa information kindly provided from “Ngāti Raukawa and 20th century wars. Ngā Pakanga o Te Ao. Participation, Price, and Post-War Experience.” Research conducted by Te Kenehi Teira and Heeni Collins (2022). Report commissioned by Crown Forestry Rental Trust, Wellington (Wai 2200 Porirua ki Manawatu Inquiry).
- Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Pugsley, C. (1995). Te Hokowhitu a Tu : the Maori Pioneer Battalion in the first World War. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed.
- Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
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