Anzac Day 2020

E kore rātou e kaumātuatia
Pēnei i a tātou kua mahue nei
E kore hoki rātou e ngoikore
Ahakoa pehea i ngā āhuatanga o te wā
I te hekenga atu o te rā
Tae noa ki te aranga mai i te ata
Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou
Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them
We will remember them.

The ode of remembrance, Ministry of Culture and Heritage

Each year April 25 is observed by New Zealand and Australia as a day to remember those “who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peace peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served.” 

Anzac Day is a time to give thanks for those that prepared the way for us to live the lives we now live, to have the things we have and to enjoy the many blessings that we embrace. It is a time when many of us normally gather in the early dawn at cenotaphs and memorials throughout the country (and overseas) to participate in Anzac Day dawn ceremonies.

Due to Covid-19, Anzac 2020 will not be marked with the traditional community gatherings at dawn, nor will there be the Dawn Parade of Returned Servicemen and women. This year, thanks to Covid-19, all Anzac Dawn Ceremonies are cancelled throughout New Zealand, Australia and around the world. Nevertheless, many people are still choosing to honour our Returned Service Men and Women in their own way. 

The RSA and the New Zealand Defence Force are calling on people to “stand at dawn” to remember the fallen. Known as #StandAtDawn, the RSA and NZDF have developed an app to allow people to follow the service on RNZ National, no matter whether they are at the end of their driveways or standing in their doorways. 

As with past years, Māori Television is running all day commemoration programming featuring stories about New Zealand service men and women - check the schedule. 

Radio New Zealand (RNZ) will also broadcast various Anzac programming throughout the day.

Wherever and however you choose to commemorate Anzac Day 2020 may you and your whānau be safe and well.

 

Anzac Day resources to explore

• Our page on Anzac Day and Gallipoli
• Lest we forget – how to mark Anzac Day at home Newsline
• Rendition of the waiata E te Hokowhitu a Tū Members of Te Whānau a Ruataupare performing “E te Hokowhitū and Te Ope Tuatahi” at Waiparapara Marae
• He Rau Mahara produced by Whakapapa Ngāi Tahu, a resource produced to “remember the journey of…Ngāi Tahu soldiers.”
• 28^th Māori Battalion dedicated to the memory of those who served in the 28^th Māori Battalion in WWII.  It now contains a roll of Māori who served in WWI.
• RSA (NZ Returned Services Association)
• Anzac Sight Sound (WWI) a resource produce by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of World War I. It contains images, movies and stories of ANZACs and their families.
• World War One: NCEA Media Studies another resource produced by  NgāTaonga Sound & Vision. Classroom resources produced to assist older students.
• Anzac Day – New Zealand History online
• Remembering Anzac: WORD Christchurch A report from the 2014 WORD Christchurch Festival about photographer Laurence Aberhart's book ANZAC, a collection of 70 photographs of NZ and Australian war memorials
• E pari rā – from Taonga Sound & Vision the story of the WWI song written by Paraire Tumoana which is still sung today.
• Once were Anzacs: the epic history of Māori soldiers in WWI. A Listener review of research undertaker by Dr Monty Soutar (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa)
• World War One another excellent resource from Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision.

While I know we aren’t able to use the libraries at present, when they do reopen an excellent book to read is Te Popi Whero in te Reo Māori or The Red Poppy in English by David Hill – Māori translation by Ngaere Roberts. This is a heart-warming story of Jim McLeod, a Kiwi WWI soldier who comes face to face with a German solider.

eBooks

In the interim, Christchurch City Libraries have a number of excellent eBooks for all ages on ANZAC.  Please take some time to look through our collection.

Maatakiwi Wakefield
CCL Kaitakawaenga
Māori Library Services