Tales Of Time - Bourke Family Tree
The men of the Bourke Family, as told by Puleleki Jackson-Bourke
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JOHN BOURKE
Great, Great Grandfather (Picture 1) Was born 1875 in England with an Irish father (Jack John Bourke) and and English mother (Elizabeth Moran). John Bourke and his mother migrated to Australia and sometime before 1903 he made his way to Tonga where he worked as a carpenter. He met my Great Great Grandmother Ana Fakaola from Ha'apai and together they had 5 children. John Bourke travelled to NZ and joined the NZ army. From there he travelled to Samoa in 1918 with the NZ expeditionary force. Whilst John was In Samoa he changed his last name to BURKE and remarried Sivai Timoti. Together they began the BURKE line in Samoa with 5 children. John Burke died in Samoa and was burried in Tufuiopa.
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TOMASI TUPOUNIUA BOURKE
Great Grandfather (Picture 2) Was born in 1903 and was the only son of John and Ana's 5 children. Tomasi left Ha'apai and married my Great Grandmother Vileti Latuvao Afu from Vava'u. They had 9 children together. Out of those 9 children my Grandfather Siaki was the second eldest. Siaki is the Tongan translation for the name Jack - It is likely that this was a reference to John Bourkes father. (Traditionally the naming of the eldest child, was a privilege for the Father’s side of the family, as per the Tongan culture.)
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SIAKI STANISLAUS BOURKE
Grandfather (Picture 3) Siaki was the second eldest of Tomasi and Vileti's children. Siaki in his younger days had met a lovely Niuean girl by the name of Langimaina Sionetali who was stranded at the wharf in Tonga. She had missed her boat back to Niue and so Siaki approached her and offered her a place to stay, without hesitation he proposed to her and she refused. Langi requested that Siaki shave his beard and cut his long hair, and if he did she would marry him. Siaki returned at a later time, clean shaven, tall and handsome. They eventually married and moved to Hakupu, Niue Island before mirgrating to New Zealand. Together they had 6 children.
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TOMASI BOURKE
Father (Picture 4) Tomasi was born in Neiafu, Vava'u Tonga. He is the eldest of Langi and Siaki's bilogical children. Tomasi migrated with his parents and siblings to Auckland, New Zealand in the 1970's. He worked at Pacific Steel and married the love of his life Joyce May Jackson (Half Niuean/Half Samoan) from Hakupu, Niue island.