ANZAC day prompts another chapter in a remarkable Cook Islands World War 1 veteran’s story.
Manava Parakoti and her family are honouring their ancestor Tuaivi Mose who served in World War One.
He kept a diary of his experience and his descendants turned it into a book story earlier, now they’re making it available for younger readers.
“This one is for bilingual… especially for children from preschool to right up to primary school level in New Zealand and in the Pacific,” Parakoti says.
“We have children, grandchildren in generations to come; they need to know what had happened in their history, this is part of their history, part of all our history, so we need to remember this part of us for many years to come.”
At age 22, the Aitutaki-born Mose, who was based in Wellington, enlisted in the New Zealand army for military service in April 1915.
Mose joined the campaign as a lance corporal, eventually making sergeant. He was shipped to Egypt, France and was later transferred to the Māori contingent which was later formed as the Maori Pioneer Battalion. It was here that he met men from Niue and the Cook Islands.
Mose spent six weeks at Anzac cove in Gallipoli before the final evacuation during this time he was documenting his movements. The detailed journal provided an insight into the front line and the price of war.
“He did actually write how they struggled especially with the bombs exploding on either side or at the back, at the front, some casualties they witnessed. You know, he actually witnessed so many (who) died,” Parakoti says.
Mose survived and returned home with his stories. He returned to Aitutaki and married Manavatini in 1919 and had a family of 12 children.
Over the years he held a number of roles; a teacher, an interpreter for the Aitutaki council, a composer and author.
Today his story lives on for the next generation.
