Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 5, 1 May 1986 — Young Maori Student Attends School Here [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Young Maori Student Attends School Here

A 12-year-old descendant of Mutiny on the Bounty's Fletcher Christian who is also descended from the alii Pomare family of Tahiti is currently an eighth grade student at Kahuku High and Elementary School. T erina Pomare of Rotorua, New Zealand, is believed to be the youngest Maori to attend school in Hawaii. She lives with her grand unele, Tommy Taurima of Laie, cultural art director at Polynesian Cultural Center. Terina is a transfer student from Rotorua Intermediate School whieh hosted crew members of the Hokule'a during the last leg on its Voyage of Rediscovery. Her parents, Ngarangi (Lani) and Annette Pomare were also among the hosts. They are both school teachers at Lakes High School. Mrs. Pomare is a hanai daughter of Taurima.

Taurima said that one of the most popular Maon high school cultural songs is titled "Terina," written for his grand nieee and sung by many groups in H^w^ii, jncjuding pqbert Cazimero, The Kamehameha Schools, Polynesian Cultural Center, Darryl Lupenui's halau, Hula Halau O Maiki and others. One of Terina's objectives during her Hawaii stay is to study the hula with a halau. She has two younger brothers in Rotorua. Taurima reported that Terina is also a moopuna of the descendants of the sacred eanoe Takitimu whieh arrived in New Zea!and in 1350.

Terina Pomare visits with Office of Hawaiian Affairs Administrator Kamaki A. Kanahele III.