WHERE TO BEGIN

I suppose you could say I’m like everyone else, who reaches this age, my life has been a roller coaster ride with as many highs as lows, but that’s fine I wouldn’t have wished for it to have been any other way.

The pleasure and fulfillment I have felt from the high points far out ways the low one’s by a country mile, these memories are engraved in my heart and soul and no-one can take them away from me, they are mine forever.

Now it’s time to share and hopefully warm the hearts and souls of others, especially my children, grandchildren and future generations.

My wish is to give them an insight and an understanding of their multi cultural heritage and their “raison d’être”.

MY PARENTS

Rather than talk about myself too much to start with I thought I would share my beginning, my parents.

Mum was from Camberley, Surrey in England and Dad was from Avera in Rurutu the northernmost island in the Austral archipelago of French Polynesia (Îles Australes or Archipel des Australes), and yes they were born on opposite sides of the globe so to speak.

An unusual combination for some but for me it gave me the best of both worlds.

It was the Second World War that united them during a period of time when they often must have thought to themselves that each day may be their last.

Thankfully for me they survived.

Tahiti Move

I must have been a big call for my Mum to go half way round the world to start a new life, being fluent in French, at least she could communicate.

The important thing was that they survived the war and were married, they then returned to Tahiti where Dad of course was treated as a War Hero.
I know for a fact that for him personally it was a very sad time as he had lost some close Tahitian friends during the war, which he never really spoke about much.

A New Start Again

My understanding was that both Mum and Dad had good jobs in Tahiti and my Mum became pregnant with me in early 1948 so I was conceived in Tahiti.

Unfortunately Mum became ill during her pregnancy and due to the lack of medical facilities my parents decided to seek help in New Zealand.

Arriving In Auckland 1948 From Makatea

Of course it’s not like today where you jump on a plane and your there in five hours.
They actually had to take a boat from Tahiti to Makatea where they caught a phosphate carrying boat to Auckland New Zealand and I came into this world not long after their arrival.

So that’s how my journey into life began conceived in Tahiti, born in Aotearoa (New Zealand)

Therein lays my affinity for my fathers culture which shows out clearly in who and what I am and what I have done, even though I grew up in Aotearoa (New Zealand).

Footnote

Of course further details of how, why and when they got together and many other stories I will share in my book.

Many of the photos that I share were taken with their Brownie Box camera which I remember well, I am sure this was the model because I remember the numbers.

What I am going to do is making regular posts on the here and now, then from time to time some of my family stories.
Well until next time!
Thank you for taking the time to read my post, enjoy your day!

FINAL NOTE

The title “DAY BY DAY” I thought was appropriate as during the war Mum and Dad would have lived their lives one day at a time especially with Dad flying all the time!

Thanks to my parents and their heritage I have had an unbelievable life, full of adventure and most of all an understanding of my island culture and living it, thank you Mum and Dad miss you both your loving son Paul

Paul L T Mara

© Copyright 2012, Paul Mara All Rights Reserved