Sir Robert Gillies will be buried in Rotorua Tuesday. Photo: NZ Defence Force
Thousands are expected to farewell Sir Robert Gillies for the last time Tuesday before he is buried alongside his wife in Rotorua.
Known as Bom, the 99-year-old was the last remaining member of the 28th Māori battalion and served in B Company during World War 2 from 1942 to1945.
Among the government dignitaries at his tangi was Labour's Peeni Henare, who was with Sir Robert when he was knighted two years ago.
He recalled his connection with Sir Robert through his grandfather Sir James Henare who was the last commander of the 28th Māori Battalion.
"I'll never forget the words of Bom Gillies at his knighthood when, we were sitting there having a cup of tea and he said Peeni, I'm a nobody, he said we held people like your grandfather, Sir James Henare, Sir Charles Bennett on a pedestal and to be now considered a sir, he said I'm still a nobody and that's just the humility I speak of, I'm very emotional if I'm honest," Henare said.
Sir Robert was an outspoken critic of Māori soldiers not getting the recognition they deserved for their war efforts.
Last week in Canterbury the Māori contingent was finally acknowledged with battle honours emblazoned on ceremonial flags or colours.
Bom was unable to attend the ceremony so Major General Rose King travelled to Rotorua to visit him just days before he died.
Defence Force being welcomed on at Te Papaiouru marae ahead of Sir Robert Gillies' tangi. Photo: Ashleigh McCaull
She said she was glad the Defence Force was able to fulfil one of his wishes.
"The fact that we achieved that and we were able to share that with him when we came back and had that time with him, and it's a real legacy, it's the right thing to be able to do, to be able to recognise our veterans, our Māori veterans in particular and for me this is a real step forward and now we need to concentrate on how we keep continuing to improve," King said.
Meanwhile outside of the kitchen waiata rings out across the marque for manuhiri and the wharekai during lunch, kaimahi in the background were working like a well-oiled machine to feed the masses.
The Defence Force was also helping serve up kai to hundreds of mourners.
Wenarata Kingi. Photo: Ashleigh McCaull/RNZ
Kaimahi Wenarata Kingi said there's been no shortage of people helping.
"We're driven by tikanga, we're driven by the culture of tangihanga, we come when there's a tangi and everybody gets into place. That's what we do, that's what the marae commands so when you come to a tangi there's work to be done in the front and in the back," Kingi said.
She estimates around 300 people were fed yesterday at lunch time.
Last night was his poroporoaki where the greatest kapa haka groups from Te Arawa performed as well as a Ngāti Kahungunu kapa haka group opening up the proceedings.
Earlier in the tangi, Ngāti Kahungunu challenged Te Arawa saying they would take Sir Robert's body to their region in Hawkes Bay.
His grand nephew Jeremy Tātere MacLeod said the two Iwi instead came to a compromise which respects both sides.
"They will bring his spirit or his kawe mate back to Waimarama Marae in January at the opening of his meeting house which he is the one who told me, get that meeting house fixed, it's the most important thing on your marae," MacLeod said.
He said it's also a shame Sir Robert won't be around to see it for his 100th birthday.
"Yeah, nah it's a great travesty cause we had great plans for his 100th and bringing him home as we always do but such is life. But here we are celebrating the man, the legend and the great legendary 28th Māori battalion which has been celebrated over this entire funeral," MacLeod said.
Sir Robert's tangihanga begins at 11am Tuesday at Te Papaiouru marae in Ōhinemutu.
From there he'll be taken to Kauae Cemetery and be buried alongside his wife.
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