Street name honouring Māori Battalion commander a 'spiritual return' - Granddaughter says
Monday, 29 March 2021
Lieutenant Colonel Eruera Te Whiti o Rongomai Love’s destiny was to stay with his fallen men in Africa, but a new street name honouring him marks a spiritual return home, his granddaughter says.
On Friday, Eruera Love Ln was unveiled by three of its namesake’s great-grandchildren at a new townhouse development in Lower Hutt.
Of Te Āti Awa descent, he was the first Māori commander of the 28th Māori Battalion and was killed during World War II while leading the unit at Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt, in July 1942. He is buried at the El Alamein military cemetery.
His granddaughter Susan Love de Miguel was at the unveiling with other whānau. She said the unveiling was an important moment in her family’s history.
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“The saddest thing is he never made it home – for Māori it’s a big thing not to return to be buried at an urupā (cemetery). This is a like a spiritual return for my grandfather to the place he spent most of his life.”
The development in Waiwhetū sits among streets commemorating other figures from New Zealand’s military history. Love de Miguel thought it was particularly pertinent Eruera Love Ln fed into Freyberg St – named after Bernard Freyberg who commanded the 2nd New Zealand Division, of which the Māori Battalion was a part.
The honouring of Love comes following a push within the Lower Hutt community to honour the non-European history and mana whenua of the area.
Late last year a group of Wainuiomata High School students petitioned for at least half of the streets in the city have te reo Māori names by 2025. Earlier this month a street named after Wainuiomata’s only mayor, Harry Martin, was changed to Te Ara Raukura after just 12 days.
At the unveiling, Hutt City Deputy Mayor Tui Lewis said the council was shifting to recognise the mana whenua heritage of the city.
Love de Miguel said she was pleased the council was actively trying to commemorate and celebrate mana whenua.
“It’s absolutely critical. We are the people from here and our contribution to the development of the area is important and should be recognised.”
She said the use of street signs was an accessible way to keep history alive.
“It’s an easy way the general population can learn and be reminded of history,” she said.