071 Whakatomo Place, Havelock North, Hastings, street view 2018
Reason for the name
This street is named in honour of Lance Corporal Thomas Whakatomo Ellison from Te Aute, a descendant of Te Heipora and Te Hapuku, who was killed in action on the Somme in World War 1.
Whakatomo Place is a relatively new street in the Arataki suburb of Havelock North village. It is located near Te Heipora Place. Whakatomo Place was named in October 2011.
Whakatomo is a family name descending from one of Te Heipora and Te Hapuku’s sons, called Whakatomo. Both Te Heipora and Te Hapuku were important chiefs in their own rights. The name passed down through the family to Thomas Whakatomo Ellison. The whānau descended from Te Heipora talked at the unveiling about Thomas Whakatomo Ellison, and how his loss in war inspired a song that helps keep alive the memory of all of New Zealand’s sons lost in war.
E Pari Ra, the famous song mentioned, was adopted as the slow march for the New Zealand Navy.
Authors: Marama Laurenson, Cherie Flintoff, Ellison Whanau
Thomas Whakatomo Ellison was born in the 1800s. He was the eldest of six children born to Daniel Taheke Ellison and Maku-i-te-rangi Mabel Te Nahu. His siblings were Te Kuini Te Hei Hinepaketia Ellison (sister), Tamaiawhitia Roslyn Clarence Ellison (brother), Pareuherangi Ellison (died in 1906, twin sister to Tamaiawhitia), Arihi Mete (Dolly) Ellison (sister) and George Richard Karenema Hapuku Ellison (brother)
He was a Lance Corporal (promoted to the rank on 1 March 1916, possibly his 32nd birthday) in the New Zealand (Māori) Pioneer Battalion. He enlisted on 1 July 1915, and as such would have volunteered to serve, as Māori were exempt from conscription until June 1917 and no Māori conscripts served overseas.
Before going to war he was a self-employed farmer. He had served in the Te Aute College Cadets while at school. His age at the time of enlistment is hard to be sure of. On his medical examination records, as well as passing the checks and having perfect eyesight his apparent age was listed as 22 and the medical records also note his stated age as 22. His date of birth on enlistment records was 1/3/1884. A whakapapa record shows his DOB as 4/8/1895. Māori births weren’t required to be registered until 1913, and while one of his sisters Te Kuini Te Hei Hinepaketia Ellison can be found on https://bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz it appears her birth was registered retrospectively in 1960.
He died on 14 September 1916 in the Battle of the Somme, and is buried in Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme France, location Plot I Row C Grave 3 / Headstone 113.
Thomas Whakatomo Ellison is listed on several local memorial plaques, including Te Hauke War Memorial Gates (Kahuranaki Marae), Hastings Cenotaph (Civic Square, by Russell Street, Hastings), Hastings War Memorial Library, Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.
He is also remembered at the Te Hauke Urupa and listed on the Auckland Museum Cenotaph and Te Aute College and in the Te Aute College Book of Remembrance.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/547538/ellison,-thomas/
In 2005, family members of Whakatomo Ellison returned to his final resting place to pay their respects and he will forever be remembered and acknowledged by the family.
Paraire Hēnare Tomoana (also known for writing Pokarekare Ana) wrote the lyrics for the well-known and popular waiata E Pari Rā in 1918. It was written with his friend Maku-i-te-Rangi (see also Makuwaiterangi Mabel Ellison, nee Te Nahu) Ellison whose son, Whakatomo Ellison, died in the war.
Paraire wrote the song as a memorial and lament for all fallen soldiers, and E Pari Rā was later adopted by the New Zealand Navy as their official song.
Havelock North Relationship to Karanema and Te Heipora
Havelock North village is located on land that was once known as Karanema’s reserve, to be set aside for the descendants of Te Heipora (first wife of Te Hapuku).
Ngati Te Whatuiapiti leader Te Hapuku Ika o te Moana and his senior wife, Te Heipora (known in oral history as the Queen of Heretaunga) had three sons, Karanema Hapuku Te Nahu, Te Whakatomo and Nepia (one source notes Te Heipora six children). Karanema died of measles in 1854, leaving two children from his marriage to Te Urihe Te Kai Ariki Te Nahu: Arihi (Alice) Te Nahu (also known as Arihi Te Heipora, Arihi Te Urihe or Princess Alice, as she was known to Europeans); and Hapuku Te Nahu.
In 1855-56 when the Te Mata block was sold, 4,000 acres was set aside from the old Ngaruroro (now Karamu Stream) to the tops of the hills beyond and called Karanema’s Reserve (various other spellings exist). It was intended to be kept “for the descendants of Te Heipora forever”.
A road in central Havelock North is named Karanema Drive, and a cul de sac in the Arataki suburb is named for Te Heipora.
