It's the eve of Anzac Day.
As Te Karere won't air tomorrow,
this bulletin is dedicated to Anzac Day.
The late Moana Nui a Kiwa Ngarimu was the first Maori soldier
to win the Victorian Cross.
A second lieutenant
in the 28th Maori Battalion's C Company,
reporter Te Rauhiringa Brown
spoke to the current kaitiaki of the prestigious medal.
This is the caretaker
of Moana Nui a Kiwa Ngarimu's prestigeous Victoria Cross.
Agnes Walker is the daughter of Kate Walker,
Moana Nui a Kiwa's younger sister.
Approximately 3600 Maori served voluntarily with the 28th Battalion.
Of this total, 649 were killed or died on active service
and a further 1712 were wounded.
The Maori Battalion's casualty rate was almost 50% higher
than the average for the NZ infantry battalions.
The pinnacle of the 28th Maori Battalion's achievement
was the Victoria Cross
won by Moananui a Kiwa Ngarimu in 1943.
Ngarimu died in action at Tunisia in March 1943.
He was awarded the Victorian Cross for bravery,
for leading his platoon under gunfire in the heat of battle.
Today his legacy lives on through his descendants.
When I was a child,
me and my cousins used to play by the Victorian Cross
all the time,
it's no wonder why our nannies used to growl us.
But we had no idea of its significance.
No ANZAC ceremonies are set to take place tomorrow
and Anges Walker is set to walk here to honour the fallen,
including her uncle the late Moana Nui a Kiwa Ngarimu.
Te Rauhiringa Brown, Te Karere.