The inspiration for this DigitalNZ story was this photograph of Jean Batten being greeted by Guide Bella after making the first direct solo flight from England to New Zealand in October 1936.  Who was Guide Bella and what experiences did she have as a Guide at Whakarewarewa?

A search of resources on DigitalNZ reveals that Guide Bella Te Hoari Papakura (c1870-1950) of Te Arawa was one of the renowned Whakarewarewa guides. Bella became a household name, along with her sister Guide Maggie (Mākereti Papakura), Guide Sophia Hinerangi, Guide Bubbles (Dorothy Huhana Mihinui), and Guide Rangi (Rangitīaria Dennan) who married Maggie's son.  For background information, see NZ History: The Guides of Whakarewarewa, 1880s - ?  https://nzhistory.govt.nz/women-together/guides-whakarewarewa 

1. Guide bella welcomed royalty, Aviators, military,     Clergy, sportspeople, Entertainers and tourists

In a newspaper article, Guide Bella was described as:  "Bella Papakura, sister of the notable Maggie, whom we were fortunate enough to have as our guide at Whakarewarewa... is a married woman, with the cares of a family upon her, and she comes to meet you in a red blouse, a short black skirt, shoes and stockings, and a coloured handkerchief round her head, altogether giving one the impression that she is a hard-working little woman. She is practical, polite, and thoroughly enjoys a joke. The middle of her story she may vary; never the beginning or the end. Invariably that is, "My charge, ladies and gentlemen, is 2s, if you please." 

Source: To Rotorua and back, Otago Witness, Issue 2614, 20 April 1904, p.71

Ten thousand love letters

According to the New Zealand Times (1909), Guide Bella holds the world's record for marriage proposals after receiving 10,000 offers: 

"Some years ago there came to Whaka two tourists who greatly admired Bella, and told her laughingly as they left that they would provide her with a white husband. When these two gentlemen returned to America they concocted a hoax. On the foundation of a pretty guide at Rotorua they made up a story of a Maori Princess with £7OOO a year and expectations of unlimited money when her royal father died. This fairy tale ran through the American and English press and was believed by many. The result was startling. Letters containing offers of marriage poured into New Zealand addressed to the "Princess of Maori," "Princess Mary," or "Princess Tonomaroanui." The post office people were sorely puzzled over the deliverance of these letters until they found out that Bella had given her name as Tonomaroanui to the tourists. The letters were accordingly unloaded on Bella by the cartload, over 10,000 finding their way to her whare. "   

Source:  Ten thousand love letters, Clutha leader, Volume XXXV, Issue 75, 1 October 1909, Page 2 

2.  WHāNAU / Family

Father: William Arthur Thom

Bella's father was William Arthur Thom (c.1842/1843-1929) who was an Englishman. He had travelled to NZ from Castlemaine in Victoria to join the Waikato Militia in 1863 and was based with the 1st Regiment in the Tauranga/Ōpōtiki area.  After the New Zealand Wars, he was granted an acre of land at Ōpōtiki in 1869. That same year, Thom joined the Armed Constabulary until 3 April 1872. He became a storekeeper and then worked as a court interpreter and clerk at the Resident Magistrate's Court at Rotorua in 1884, and then at Wairoa in 1887.  He then became the Deputy Registrar of Marriages, Births and Deaths at Wairoa in 1889.  See photo of William Thom. 

Mother: Rakera Ihaia

Differing accounts give Bella's mother's name as Rakera Ihaia and as Pia Te Ngarotū Te Rihi (1851-1908) of Te Arawa and Ngāti Wāhiao hapu of Tūhourangi.  Guide Bubbles has clarified that Bella's mother was Rakera who had become very ill after Bella was born and her family thought she would die.  Bella's father William Thom then married Rakera's younger sister Pia during 1870/71, who had been living in Matata since 1865.   

As explained by Guide Bubbles:  "In those days if a husband was widowed, you'd match them off to the deceased person's surviving sibling.  So what they did was marry Bella's father off to another cousin. To take it the Maori way, from his first wife he had Bella. But his second wife was a sister to the first wife and she had Maggie Papakura. So Maggie and Bella were not only first cousins, but half-sisters too. (Bella's mother Rakera in fact rallied and later remarried.)"  (Source: Paul Diamond (2008). Makereti : taking Māori to the world.  Auckland, N.Z. : Random House, p.23)  

Also see Whakapapa chart in Makereti's book "The Old-time Maori" which lists sisters Rakera and Pia and their children: http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/MakOldT-fig-MakOldT048a.html

William Thom and his second wife Pia lived at Te Teko where he was part of the Armed Constabulary, and they looked after Bella.  In her book "Old-time Maori", Mākereti (Maggie) says her mother's name was originally Pia te Rihi but used Pia te Ngarotu after Pia's Uncle had died. See photo of Pia te Ngarotū who passed away on 1 Jan 1909.    

SiBLINGS:

Bella's father and his second wife Pia had two children: Margaret (Maggie) Pattison Thom (20 Oct 1872 - 16 April 1930) and Richard (Dick or Tiki) Thom (1873-1962).  

Bella's half-sister Maggie Tom was raised by Pia's paternal aunt Mārara Marotaua and uncle Maihi Te Kakau Parāoa.  Maggie lived with them at Parekārangi for the first nine years of her life and was taught the history and customs of her Iwi and spoke only in Māori. After Maggie returned to live with her father, mother Pia, half-sister Bella and brother Dick, she attended school and learnt to speak English. After her first marriage ended in divorce in 1900, Maggie became a world-renowned guide at Whakarewarewa.

Bella's half-brother Richard (Dick or Tiki) Thom became a musician who played during concerts at Whakarewarewa. He was in the Kings Theatre Orchestra which provided music for silent movies and in the Rotorua Māori Brass Band.  Dick was also a rugby union and rugby league player. He became a guide at Whakarewarewa known as Guide Tiki Papakura. (Source:  ATL:  PAColl-10208-1 Photographs relating to nursing and geothermal attractions. Pugh family prints (ca. 1942-43) of Ohinemutu include Guide Tiki (Dick) Papakura).  He was appointed head caretaker in 1944.

Surname of 'Papakura' was chosen on the spur of the moment by Guide Maggie.  

As recounted by Guide Rangi:

"One day a tourist asked Maggie if she had a Maori Christian name. Maggie said it was Makereti, the Maori equivalent of Margaret. The tourist then asked what her surname was in Maori. Maggie figured that the tourist must be satisfied at all costs. She glanced round for inspiration and saw the geyser Papakura bubbling away nearby. ‘My surname is Papakura,’ she replied straight-faced. The tourists took it in, but Maggie’s friends erupted in gales of laughter when they heard her recount the story. Maggie Papakura she remained from that day onward. The name spread also to her sister Bella, and her brother Dick, who also became a famous guide, Rugby footballer and band leader." (Rangitiaria Dennan  & Annabell Ross (1968) Guide Rangi of Rotorua. Christchurch: Whitcombe & Tombs, p.49) 

Source: 

• Paul Diamond (2008).  Makereti : taking Māori to the world.  Auckland, N.Z. : Random House 
• Makeriti (1986).  The old-time Maori.  Auckland, N.Z. : New Women's Press. Digital version:  http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-MakOldT-t1-front-d2.html
• June Northcroft-Grant. Links and sources for 'Papakura, Mākereti', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1996. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3p5/papakura-makereti/sources  
• June Northcroft Grant. A tale of two sisters,  RNZ 2018 Waiatangi Rautau Lecture (13 Feb 2018), https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/waitangiruarautaulectures/audio/2018631216/2018-waitangi-rua-rautau-lecture-by-june-northcroft-grant 
• Elizabeth Cory-Pearce, "Locating authorship"  (Chapter 6).  In: "Creativity and Cultural Improvisation. v. 44 (Association of Social Anthropologists Monographs S.) by Elizabeth Hallam, 2008
• Family Search: William Arthur Thom: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KLRJ-R78/william-arthur-thom-1843-1929  

3.  Schooling: Rotorua, Tauranga & Napier

A mention of Bella attending the new native school at Ohinemutu and passing the exams for Standard 2 during 1881 was made by William Bird in his booklet, 'Rotorua's first school', Rotorua Primary School Souvenir booklet (Rotorua, 1936, page 7). Bird had been Chief Inspector of Native Schools and Superintendent of Māori education.  

Source: D. M. Stafford (1986). The founding years in Rotorua : a history of events to 1900.  Auckland N.Z. : Ray Richards ; Rotorua N.Z. : Rotorua District Council, p. 214. 

Bella and her sister Maggie also attended Willow Bank School for girls in Tauranga run by Mrs Clara Stoddard which had been set up in 1883.  After spending a year with a private governess, they attended Hukarere College in Napier for three years. (Source: Paul Diamond (2008).  Makereti : taking Māori to the world.  Auckland, N.Z. : Random House, p.26). 

When asked by a newspaper reporter in 1906 where she was educated, Maggie said, "We went first of all to a ladies' school at Tauranga, but after a year of it nothing would persuade us to go back. We were so young and so frightened, and we couldn't speak a word of English, so you can imagine how the other girls teased us. I thought on the whole that we were treated rather badly. Eventually we mastered English, and later we went to the ladies' school at Houkarere, Napier. The three years spent there were delightful, and I should have liked to have stayed long. I think an important element in the training at this school is that you have to qualify in domestic economy before you get your certificate for passing the upper standards."   

Source: Papers Past:   The Exhbition: Maggie Papakura: A chat with a famous guide: Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle, 11 December 1906, page 3: https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OSWCC19061211.2.10

4. THOM FAMILY MOVE TO WAIROA, 1887

In 1887, the year after her Uncle Maihi Te Kakauparoa died, Pia and William Thom moved to Wairoa.  William became Deputy Registrar of Marriages, Births and Deaths in 1889.  "That same year,  after William began a relationship with a Pākehā  woman, Pia returned to Rotorua. Pia successfully applied for Makereti, Ihapera and Tiki (then aged 15, 16 and 14) to inherit land at Whakarewarewa owned by Maihi Te Kakauparoa." (Source: Diamond, op cit, pp. 27-28).  William became a Native Land Purchase Officer in 1892. Later that year, he married for the third time. His wife was Mary Finlayson (1873-1947)  who was thirty years younger and they had seven children.  Meanwhile, in 1892 Pia married Panapa Nihotai, and lived with him and her aunt Matata at Whakarewarewa.  Maggie helped her mother to rebuild her house in 1897. (Source: Diamond, ibid, p. 39) 

5.  Bella's MARRIAGE

Bella married twice - firstly to Tamati Paora and then to Aperahama Wiāri. Both husbands were carvers. Tamati carved Wahiao located at Whakarewarewa. Aperahama built Te Awa i Manukau opposite the Catholic Church at the top of Tukiterangi Street for Bella in 1925. June Northcroft Grant says, "Bella had no children but whangaied Whakarato Haira and many children living in the pa in the 1920s including my father. If you turned up at dinner time, you got fed, if you turned up at night time you slept in the whare."  

Source:  June Northcroft Grant. A tale of two sisters,  RNZ Waitangi Rua Rautau lecture (13 Feb 2018)

6. Guide at Whakarewarewa

Both Bella and her sister Maggie became guides at Whakarewarewa.  Later they were joined by their brother Dick who was also a musician and a rugby union and rugby league player.  

Maggie had married a surveyor, Francis (Frank) Joseph Dennan, on 4 May 1891 at  her father's Wairoa home. They lived in the Wairarapa area and had a child, William Francis Te Aonui Dennan, on 5 November. Later they separated after Francis travelled to Taupō for several months surveying and then surveyed in other areas.  Another son, Reginald Roy Dennan, was born in 1898 who passed away. Maggie returned to Whakarewarewa with her first son Te Aonui to live and petitioned for divorce for desertion in Dec 1899 which was granted in 1900. She returned to Whakarewarewa and took up guiding to help earn an income.  Her son Te Aonui was sent to an Auckland boarding school, Wesley College, in 1900 until 1907 when he was 15. 

The  Department of Tourist and Health Resorts had been created in 1901.  General Manager Thomas Edward Donne encouraged tourism development, including at Rotorua, with government owned spas and resorts.  

 In her book, "Guide to the Hot Lakes district and some Maori legends" (1905, p.36),  Maggie says 

"A guide to the sights of Whaka can always be obtained to show visitors over the same – Pipi, Sophia, Bella, Mary, Ngana, Tare, Miriama, others, and myself. It takes from an hour to two hours to look round properly, and to give visitors ample time to admire the boiling cauldrons, porridge pots, and various sights." 

The Department of Tourist and Health Resorts commissioned photographers to produce images of Rotorua to be used in photographs and postcards. One of these photographers was Arthur Iles whose photographs included Bella and Maggie.

According to Guide Bubbles Mihinui: "Guiding wasn’t a job, it was a vocation. We weren’t there to tell visitors the geysers were so many degrees centigrade. None of us knew that anyway. We were there to talk about them from our perspective. What the geyser meant to us, and how our ordinary and not so ordinary lives depended on it."  

Source:  Bubbles Mihinui  & Cushla Parekowhai (1991). “Guide Bella, Bella Te Hoari Papakura” in The Book of New Zealand Women: Ko Kui Ma Te Kaupapa. Ed. by Charlotte Macdonald, Merimeri Penfold & Bridget Williams. Wellington: Bridget William Books, pp.488-491. (Page 491)

7. Cultural Performances in NZ

Maggie and Bella formed a concert party which performed waiata, poi dances and haka at the Geyser Hotel in Whakarewarewa and the Assembly Hall in Rotorua. Bella was the composer and choreographer and Maggie led the choir.   

Rotorua:

 In her book "Guide to the Hot Lakes district and some Maori legends" (1905),  Maggie says: 

"Tourists wishing to see a haka or poi dance, can always see one in Whaka, which can be arranged at a very short notice. These dances take place in the hall opposite the Geyser Hotel, under the leadership of Bella. Pipi also is an accomplished performer. The poi dance is very pretty. The poi-balls are swung by the hand, not unlike club swinging, but mostly wrist work. The canoe poi, one of the most interesting variations of the dance, was invented by Bella.  All the girls sit on the floor, imitating the paddling of a canoe with the poi-balls. The performers wear piupiu (skirts)."  (p.24)

A digitised version of the book can be viewed online at the State Library of Victoria.  A photo of 'Bella, the Maori princess' is on page 21. 

Christchurch: 1906-1907

The New Zealand International Exhibition was held in Hagley Park, Christchurch from 1 November 1906 - 15 April 1907.  Thomas Edward Donne, the General Manager of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, was appointed Vice-President and Executive Commissioner for the Exhibition. Donne encouraged the showcasing of Rotorua tourism amongst the exhibits, including setting up a model Māori village.

Back at Rotorua: 1907 -

The troupe continued to perform concerts in Rotorua.  In addition, brother Dick (Tiki) was selected to play for the New Zealand Māoris rugby league team touring Australia in 1908 which was organised by Albert Asher. The following year, Tiki played in two exhibition matches in Sydney organised by New South Wales promoter Mr Ford, and Maggie and others accompanied the players.

The following was published in the Otago Witness, Issue 2850,  28 October 1908, p. 29:

"An excellent story is told of Bella Papakura, sister of the famous guide at Rotorua. She was  a little while ago told off at Rotorua to entertain a prominent Christchurch citizen. Never dreaming for one moment that he understood Maori, she sat down to a piano in a rest-house and sang him some Native love songs, making terrific eyes at him all the time. Imagine her confusion when at the end of the impromptu concert the guest rose and returned thanks in faultless Maori."

8. Invite to perform in New York, 1909-1910

In 1909, following the tour of Whakarewarewa by the American naval fleet, the Tourist and Health Resorts Department was asked by a visiting theatrical agent to arrange a group of Māori performers to appear at the Hippodrome in New York. The request was passed onto Maggie as the Department's General Manager, Thomas Edward Donne, was transferring to the New Zealand High Commission in London. Maggie declined as the troupe was already committed to a tour to Sydney. Instead, the New York promoters were referred to Reverend Frederick Bennett who led the Māori Mission Choir and he organised the tour. The programme included the canoe poi which had originally been choreographed by Bella. 

(Source: D. M. Stafford (1988).  The new century in Rotorua : a history of events from 1900.  Auckland N.Z. ; Rotorua N.Z. : Ray Richards Publisher and Rotorua District Council) 

9.  PERFORMANCES IN Sydney: 1909-1910 

A group of Sydney businessmen approached Maggie Papakura with a proposal for a Māori concert party tour to Sydney, Melbourne and then on to England for the Festival of Empire celebrations. The organising group became known as the Arawa Māori Native Village Syndicate, and the tour manager was Charles Babbington Westmacott who was an actor and theatre company manager in Sydney.  

Source:  

• Gillian Fulloon, 'Westmacott, Charles Babington (1864–1934)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/westmacott-charles-babington-9053/text15953 
• D.  M. Stafford (1986) op cit, p. 54  

10.  Performances back in NZ, 1910

11. Melbourne & Sydney, Oct 1910 - April 1911

In August 1910, Maggie visited Sydney and discussed with the syndicate of businessmen the possibility of travelling to other Australian cities and then on to England. The outcome was Tene Waitere and a team of carvers leaving for Melbourne with carvings from Maggie's whare Tuhoromatakaka. The troupe of performers followed in October.  Amongst the troupe were Tiki Papakura who led the Arawa Silver Band; and the half -sister of Tiki, Bella and  Maggie from their father's third marriage - Helena Thom (also known as Lena and Rina). Also included were Tene's 13 year old grand-daughter Rangitiana Ratema, who later became known as Guide Rangi, and singer Evaline Skerrett from the Stewart Island who was known as Princess Iwa. 

The dancers, who were led by Bella and the choir by Maggie,  performed in Melbourne until 17 December 1910. The troupe then visited Sydney to perform once again at the Clontarf site in Sydney, with the opening night on Christmas Eve.  Afterwards, some of the troupe returned to NZ and the remainder stayed on until travelling to London in April 1911. (Source: Stafford, 1988, op cit, pages 97-98) 

12. Festival of Empire celebration in London, 1911

The syndicate of Sydney businessmen had proposed a Māori concert party tour to England for the Festival of Empire celebrations. These exhibitions were associated with the Coronation of King George V (whom Maggie had met as the Duke of Cornwall in 1901) and Queen Mary.  Chairman of the committee organising the New Zealand section of the pageant was Thomas Donne who had been appointed as Trade and Immigration Commissioner at the New Zealand High Commission in London in 1909.  He ensured that the New Zealand pavilion featured a Māori village where Maggie, Bella and their group would perform. (Source: Wikipedia: Thomas Donne: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Donne)

Guide Mākereti had "gathered together a touring party consisting of around 40 members of her extended family, including her sister Bella, brother Tiki (Dick) Papakura, the Tūhourangi leader Mita Taupopoki, and a selected group of the finest singers and performers..."   (Source: June Northcroft-Grant. 'Papakura, Mākereti', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1996. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3p5/papakura-makereti) 

At the beginning  of April 1911, the cultural group left Sydney for London and arrived in England in May 1911.  During the voyage, Guide Sophie's son, Aporo Taiawhio, died and was buried at sea near Columbo. (Source: D. M. Stafford (1988). op cit, p.98)    

"They appeared at various venues including Crystal Palace, the Palace Theatre and White City and entertained thousands of visitors with songs and dances, story-telling and whaikōrero (speech-making). An accompanying exhibition of Māori artefacts, including a meeting house and storehouse, was equally popular with the crowds. The newspapers eagerly reported the group's activities, including the christening of a baby born to one of their members shortly after arrival in England. A highlight was the launching of a 45-foot canoe named Te Arawa at the Henley Royal Regatta."   

Source:  June Northcroft-Grant, ibid.

13. Back in NZ: Jan 1912 

The troupe arrived back in Auckland on 9 January 1912 and reached Rotorua two days later by train. Newspapers reported that they received a hostile reception. 

14. Bella leads troupe without Maggie: 1912 -

Bella had an acting role in the silent movie "The Betrayer" which screened in 1921.  Silent films would often have a piano, organ or musical accompaniment. Bella's brother Dick was a member of the King's Theatre Orchestra - see photo on  the Rotorua Museum's Facebook page, 16 May 2021 (Dick is on the right) 

15. BELLA BECAME SEnior guide: 1920S - 1930s

In the 1920s & 1930s, the senior guide at Whakarewarewa was Bella. The new guides for training were selected by Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao Chief Mita Taupopoki.  

As the senior guide at Whakarewarewa, Bella would walk slowly behind the apprentice guides correcting them as they went. (Source:  Kökiri Paetae (2002), Kökiri Paetae: A Celebration of Mäori Achievements. November, p.4)  

"Bella was in the background all the time," recalled Guide Bubbles Mihinui, "working and teaching in her own quiet way. I feel of all the guides, Bella had the most influence, She was our mentor as well as our kuia … Bella and her generation of guides had a caring attitude. She hated the word ‘tourist’ because it has cheapening connotations. She said, ‘Think of it in Maori terms, any stranger to our place is manuhiri – a visitor. Treat them all like that and people will respond.’ Maori, whether we know it or not, communicate well with body language. That’s what Bella used to get her point across. Every single one of her visitors were able to relate to her without any words at all. 

Source:  Mihinui, Bubbles & Cushla Parekowhai (1991). “Guide Bella, Bella Te Hoari Papakura” in The Book of New Zealand Women: Ko Kui Ma Te Kaupapa. Edited by Charlotte Macdonald, Merimeri Penfold & Bridget Williams. Wellington: Bridget William Books, pp.488-491 

16. Memorial to sister Maggie at whakarewarewa, 1931

After her divorce to her second husband Richard Staples-Brown was made absolute on 27 July 1925, Maggie moved to Oxford. She had already become an associate member of the Oxford University Anthropological Society in 1922. She visited Rotorua during 1926 on a study trip to research Te Arawa culture and to consult with elders. 

Source:  June Northcroft-Grant. 'Papakura, Mākereti', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1996. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3p5/papakura-makereti  

After completing a Diploma in Anthropology in 1927, Maggie was encouraged to present her written research on Te Arawa as a thesis. She enrolled for a B.Sc degree in Anthropology in 1928.  However, Maggie became unwell that year and sent a letter home in early 1929 to say she was slowly recovering.  

Maggie died unexpectedly of a heart attack at Oxford on 16 April 1930, just three weeks prior to having her thesis examined on 7 May.  (Source:  Emma  Gattey.  Makereiti: Māori 'insider' anthropology at Oxford. University of Oxford: Oxford and Empire Network: https://oxfordandempire.web.ox.ac.uk/article/makereti ) 

See photo of  Maggie's grave at Oddington Cemetary in Oxfordshire:  https://go4travelblog.l.0bam.net/maggie-papakura/ Maggie's former husband Richard Staples-Brown died on 5 June 1932. 

After the unveiling, Te Aonui returned to England. His wife Madge Dennan died on 17 Feb 1932 and their three children were sent to live with relatives or to boarding school while Te Aonui lived at the Oddington Grange. He then moved back to New Zealand without his children. He met Rangitīaria Ratema (Guide Rangi) and they became married on 11 September 1938 at a ceremony held at Te Waiti Marae at Lake Rotoiti. The couple did not have children. Te Aonui died aged 51 in 1942 of cancer.  (Source: Diamond (1988), op cit, p.174). 

 17. BELLA'S HERITAGE 

Mana as head guide

Heritage New Zealand Māori heritage advisor Tamoe Ngata: "Bella...never returned to guiding at Whakarewarewa before her death on 24 February 1950. Her guiding number was never re-issued, however, and she was always acknowledged as the head guide during that time - such was her mana."  

Source: Guide Bella's wharepuni gets heritage status, Rotorua Daily Post 24 May 2016:  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/guide-bellas-wharepuni-gets-heritage-status/W7UJEJD2FIME245BFZI6YMDLVM/

Songs composed by Bella 

As well as being the cultural group's choreographer, Bella was also a composer. One of group's waiata composed by Bella was 'Pakete whero'. 

According to Bubbles Mihinui: "There used to be a special song sung by the Whaka (Whakarewarewa) guides that was called ‘Pakete whero mau mai i a koe’ [The red kerchief that you wear]. Bella composed a poi to this song for the 1934 Waitangi Day celebrations. For a long time only the guides at Whaka could perform it, because ‘Pakete whero’ has got an offbeat. This is because Bella likened her poi to the hoof beats of galloping horses – she loved the races. So Bella’s poi became the recognised signature of the Whaka guides." (Source: Mihinui & Parekowhai, 1991, op cit, p.490)  

Bella is said to have composed this song in honour of a man from Ruatähuna that she was secretly having an affair with. The wearing of the red scarves by both of them signalled to each other their secret love (Source:  Huata, Ngämoni (2000). The Rhythm and Life of Poi. Auckland: HarperCollins Huata, pp.:75-76)   

For the lyrics and a list of records with this song, see: Pakete Whero: Guide Bella Papakura, 1905. New Zealand Folk Song: https://www.folksong.org.nz/pakete_whero/index.html  

Heritage New Zealand Māori heritage advisor Tamoe Ngata: "This song is still sung today for tourists who visit Whakarewarewa...As a salute to Bella and their guiding heritage, the red scarf is worn by Tuhourangi women when performing or representing Tuhourangi at formal occasions."   Source: Guide Bella's wharepuni gets heritage status, Rotorua Daily Post 24 May 2016:  https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/guide-bellas-wharepuni-gets-heritage-status/W7UJEJD2FIME245BFZI6YMDLVM/  

Heritage New Zealand building

The wharepuni Te Awa i Manukau, which was built by Bella's second husband Aperahama Wiāri in 1925, was listed as a Wahi Tupuna with Heritage New Zealand in 2016.   Heritage advisor Tamoe Ngata:  "It was named after the Ngati Wahiao/Tuhourangi ancestor Te Awa i Manukau as a reminder of her inherent mana and prestige, which was passed down to Bella through her ancestors.  The whare stands as a reminder of Guide Bella and her contribution to the Whakarewarewa community."  Bella and Aperahama, who passed away aged 60 years in 1934,  are buried in the family cemetery directly behind Te Awa i Manukau.   

See photo: Guide Bella's wharepuni gets heritage status, Rotorua Daily Post 24 May 2016. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/guide-bellas-wharepuni-gets-heritage-status/W7UJEJD2FIME245BFZI6YMDLVM/