Remembering Ariki Tā Tumu Te Heuheu Tūkino VIII: A Legacy of Leadership and Commitment

Tongariro te maunga Taupō te moana Te Heuheu te tangata!

Whekuwheku ana te whenua i te tāhekenga o hūpē me roimata, haehae ana te manawa i te ngau o te aroha, hotuhotu ana te ngākau i te kaponga ōu e te kupenga a Taramainuku.

Kei konei mātou, kua taka a roto i te rongotanga ake i tēnei hinganga. Ka tangihia tonutia tō tātou Ariki. Ko ngā kāwai o te Whare Ariki ka pākinikini tonu.

E te tāiki ngāpara, topaki atu rā ki te ururuatanga o te wao, ki te puhikaioreore o te ngahere, ki tō tātou maunga tūpuna, ki Tongariro, e kupa atu ai tō wairua ki te kōmata o te rangi. Ki reira kanapu mai nā hei mata o te ariki, o Tāwhirimātea.  Ki te marae ki Tāpeka te kōrero whānui mōu.

It is with sadness that I received the news of the passing of Ariki Tā Tumu Te Heuheu Tūkino VIII, KNZM.  Ariki Tā Tumu was the eighth paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and an influential leader among Māori, New Zealanders and many global fora.

Ariki Tā Tumu was a respected leader and was committed to Tūwharetoa and Māori heritage.  He served as Chair of the Māori Heritage Council, the Tūwharetoa Trust Board, and the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

In 2005 Ariki Tā Tumu was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and accepted redesignation as a Knight Companion in 2009.

We mourn the loss of a leader who was dedicated to the advancement of Iwi, Māori, New Zealanders and ahurea (identity and culture) and the taiao (environment) everywhere.

Sincere condolences and thoughts to Lady Susan and whānau.  Crown representatives are expected to attend the tangihanga over the course of the next few days.