Miriona Mutu Budge

image


Honouring Miriona Mutu Mira (Budge), tipuna of Ngāti Haumia ki Paekākāriki


Nā o mātou Tipuna te whenua nei i waihotia, he whenua kai taniwha, he whenua motuhake i raro i te mana motuhake o Ngāti Haumia This land that we stand on is the centre of who we are and what our tipuna have gifted us.

Ko Miriona Mutu Mira te tipuna kuia, whānau mai ia ki te rohe o Ōtākou i te rangi tuaiwa o Mei, tahi mano waru rau, waru tekau mā ono (1886), nā, ko Wehi-o-te-whenua Sylvanus Budge tōna hoa tāne, ko Aperahama Mutu Mira tōna tipuna kōroua.

I te hokinga mai ki te tūrangawaewae ki Paekākāriki i te rautau tekau mā iwa, i tipu ake āna tamariki hei nohonga ki te kainga pupuri whenua, ā, tekau mā ono eka te whānui o te whenua nei, mai te taha raki o Paekākāriki ki te rarangi tereina.

I te tau tahi mano iwa rau rima tekau mā toru (1953) nā te Karauna tēnei whiwhinga, ā, ko te whenua nei o Wainui, hei whenua mahi mō ngā hōia i taua wā tonu, ka tapaina ko “Queen Elizabeth Park”.

I whakahētia ngā hua i puta i te mutunga iho o te pakanga, I ū a Miriora me ana uri ki ngā mahi pupuri taonga, pupuri whenua hei oranga mō tōna iwi taketake, kia puritia ki te mana motuhake o ngā uri o Haumia Whakatere Taniwha.

I mate a Miriona i te tau tahi mano, iwa rau whitu tekau (1970), takoto ana ki te riu o Paekākāriki.

Moe mai rā e te kuia.

Born in Otago (Ōtākou) on 9 May 1886, Miriona Mutu Mira was married Wehi-o-te-whenua Sylvanus Budge and was the grand-daughter of Aperahama Mutu Mira. Miriona returned to Paekākāriki in the early 1900's, raised her family of seven daughters and one son and fought to retain her 16-acre block of family land that ran from the coast through the northern end of Paekākāriki out to the railway line.

Eventually and against her wishes, she had the land acquired by the Crown for what is now Queen Elizabeth Park. She was also one of a number of people in the village who lost her home for military purposes during the War.

Miriona was a strong advocate for her whanau and her community in Paekākāriki - a woman who attracted love and respect from those who met her.

Miriona had a huge impact on her whanau, hapu and community. She was passionate about keeping her family land for future generations and helped inspire the importance of intergenerational ahi kāa in the area.

Miriona Budge died in Paekākāriki in 1970 aged 84.