Hinewairoro Parata – Horomona

HInewairoro Parata-Horomona or most commonly know as Aunty Milly.

Milly was born in Porirua on 31 December 1925. She was the eldest child of Moeroa Parai and Otaki Tutere Ropata.

Milly and her brother Hemi spent most of their early years growing up in Paraparaumu where they lived with their grandparents Hera Titahi and Matai Parai after their mother became ill.

Milly’s younger brother Hemi recalls that their earlier years in Paraparaumu were extremely happy. Along with their grandparents they had their Aunty Rufus and other very close whānau around them all the time. Milly’s very close friend was Jeanie Webber. Milly spent a lot of time with Jeannie and her whānau on Kapiti Island. One memory was that when the tide was right you could almost walk across to Kapiti.

The best day of the week for Milly when she was at school was Wednesday. Each Wednesday her class would travel to Otaki where the girls would have cooking classes and the boys, woodwork. Milly loved to cook, and this was something that her nanny Hera encouraged. Her nan would tell her that when she got married, she’d have to know how to cook a good boil up for her husband!!

When their koro and nanny passed away their mother came to get them to bring them back to Porirua. Hemi can recall that this was the saddest time of their lives, leaving their home in Paraparaumu. He can remember Milly just grabbing him and giving him the biggest hug.

Like many of her cousins Milly attended Wellington Tech and later worked a number of jobs revolving around domestic tasks such as, kitchen hand at Gear Meat works, the Grand Hotel and she later ran the cafeteria at W R Graces.

Milly married Leo Erastus Parata in 1941. This you could say was a typical example of the boy marrying the girl next door (or should we say the girl just across the road). Milly and Leo’s time together was extremely happy but not without its challenges.

Together they raised 17 children with 2 passing away when very young. Milly was an expert in knowing how to stretch a dollar to ensure that her whānau were fed and clothed and did not go without. Milly and Leo’s whānau home was 48 Downs Street in Titahi Bay before moving back to the Pa in 1976, living at 35 Takapūwāhia Drive.

Milly was a member of the LDS Church and was a teacher with the Relief Society for many years. Milly was able to share her homemaking skills and budgeting knack with the ladies of the Relief Society.

When her husband Leo became ill Milly gave up her work to care fulltime for him, until he passed away in 1979.

A new chapter in her life opened when she married long time whanau friend Sol Solomon who had also been widowed.

The two were married in 1980 in a garden wedding in the back of the home they shared at the top of Ngāti Toa Street.

Milly had always involved with the Marae and in earlier years took part and ran the card and housie evenings that were held at the Marae. These evenings provided a lot of fun for the ladies of the iwi who came together to socialise.

Later though Milly and Sol would run the kitchen at the Marae with other close whānau such as the Hammonds and Te Ra Arthur and the many other whānau. Their home away from home was the ‘old wharekai’. They would often sleep at the Marae to ensure that they were near the kitchen to cook for manuhiri.

Their lives certainly changed when Parehounuku was built, and they now had a brand-new state of the art kitchen at their disposal. Gone were the days of the open fire stoves and harsh concrete floors.

Milly always had a warm and welcoming home with pictures of whānau on every wall. There was always a spot for photos of her moko. It was an open-door policy with whānau coming and going all year round. Everyone wanted to be with their Nanny Milly.

Rugby was also one activity on top of Milly’s list. She would attend all of Porirua Club matches, then made the switch to Norths and then of course TOA.

Milly was extremely proud when her moko, Michael Clamp became an All Black and Māori All Black in the early 80’s.

With 15 children spread all throughout the motu and Australia she would enjoy many trips away to visit her whānau.

Hinewairoro passed away in 27 November 1998.

Milly and Leo Parata left a legacy of 17 children, 75 grandchildren and 95 great and great great grandchildren. Please note: the original story was published in Tikarohia te Marama a number of years back, the whānau has grown quite considerably since then.