Hundreds of people gathered to farewell Sir Robert Gillies on Monday. Photo: Ashleigh McCaull
Hundreds of people including mourners, politicians and representatives of the NZ Army have been welcomed onto Te Papaiouru marae in Rotorua to pay their final respects to Sir Robert Gillies, the last member of the 28th Māori Battalion.
The hau kāinga has delivered a stirring pōwhiri for a gathering crowd, with about 200 seats set up for manuhiri under a marquee outside the wharenui.
Other hau kāinga entertained guests with waiata over lunch, and the kitchen buzzed with activity as kaimahi behind the scenes went into clean-up mode after feeding about 300 people.
Thousands are expected for the poroporoaki, which is set to begin on Monday night ahead of the funeral at Kauae Cemetery on Tuesday.
Around Ōhinemutu, the city was stacked with cars, with access to the marae slow due to the number of people making their way in through only two entrances.
Sir Robert Gillies, known as "Bom", died on Thursday, aged 99. He was the last remaining member of the Māori Battalion B-company which fought in the World War II.
Sir Robert Gillies known as "Bom", died at the age of 99. Photo: NZ Defence Force
Warrant officer class 1 Aaron Morrison of the Royal New Zealand Infantry said the loss was devastating, and the whānau had been planning his 100th birthday.
"He was one of those gentlemen and one of those taonga that was invincible, and was always going to be here, so just absolutely devastating for the whānau and the military whānau."
He said the Defence Minister and Chief of Defence would be arriving on Tuesday.
By Monday afternoon, Labour MPs had arrived at the marae.
Labour MP Willie Jackson said it was magnificent to be able to celebrate Gillies' life, one of "the foremost kaumatua of the last generation".
Thousands are expected for the poroporoaki, which is set to begin on Monday night. Photo: Ashleigh McCaull
Jackson's government was the one to bestow a knighthood on Tā Bom in 2021 - although Jackson said as Gillies was a very humble man, he took some convincing.
"But he knew that it was a tribute to his brothers, and to the Māori Battalion, that's why he took it."
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