Kia ora tatou: Robert Bruce is buried at a cemetry named Te Pua, on Managakahia Road, Kaikohe. The lane access to the cemetry is almost directly across the road from Kohewhata Marae. He has a very nice kohatu with a Scotch Thistle on it. If wanting to visit, any of the homes around the marae area will direct you to the cemetry, as it is not visible from the road.
The whanau of Te Haua Witehira put out a book some years ago for their reunion and that book gives a good overview of Robert Bruce and his wife Hikirangi, amongst other whanau informatiion. I have a copy of a letter writtten to the War Office by Robert Bruce, enquiring after his medal. As a youngster I attended whanau hui where this medal was discussed with gusto, although its whereabouts seems a mystery. The whanau have one photo of him (he would have been quite old, as he has an almost grey beard) and most of the older whanau members (like me) have a copyh of this.
I have a copy of Hikirangi's death certificate. I believe she is actually interred at Ngawha Settlement at the church there, where her second partner, Kauwhata, is also buried.
It's my belief that Robert Bruce came to NZ with his mother, Agnes Henderson and she became a laundress at the Waimate North Mission House. He must have fought in the Maori Wars. He had children to Hikirangi - all were registered at the Waimate North Mission House. However, I believe that his daughter Agnes (who married Witehira) was the only one who had issue.
