MRS PIRIHIRA TEARA RAMEKA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 102, 17 May 1937, Page 8

MRS PIRIHIRA TEARA RAMEKA

With the death of Mrs Pirihira Teara fiameka, of Omahu, there was severed a link with the days when the first white settlers came to New Zealand, for she was reputed to be 113 years of age, and bel'ieved to be the oldest native in the Hawke's Bay-East Coast districts. ' - Born at Gisborne, Mrs Rameka was a member of the Rongo Whakata tribe that were settled in the East Coast districts. She married Wi Piro? and from this marriage there is still one son alive, Mr Matanuku Piro, of Gisborne, he being 74 years of age. In accordance with Maori custom of those days Mrs Piro accompanied her husband on bis exctirsions into the Maori wars , and eventually this led to their being associated with the renowned Te Kooti. For many years they foliowed Te Kooti, and even after her husband was. Jkilled in ,Warfare she continued to be one of the band' that roained all aiong the coast, Eventually she parted coinpany with the party at Taupo, where, it is reported, Te Kooti ibstrueted her and five, Other Maori women to place them«eives under the care of Renata Kawepo, the old Hawke's Bay Maori chieftain of that time. It was said that Te Kooti realised tliat he had about come to the end of his escapades, and rather than sacrifice the women he preferred that they should change camp. This they did, and later Kawepo brought them to Omahu. Jast how long ago this happened cannot be definitely stated,- but it is kiaown that she later married a second time. From "this marriage there is a "son, Tuta Wake Rameka, who was born at'Oriahu, and who will be 67 years of age next August. The late Mrs Rameka has certainly b6en resid^nt in this district for over 70 years", and as far back as 1885 she lived for a time in a house at the rear of the premises now occupied by S. T. Tong and Son, adjacent to the HeraldTribune buildings. She was a veuerable old lady and held in high esteera by Maori and Pakeha alike. Despite her great age *he was remarkably agile and it, was only during the past three weeks that ehe was confined to her bed. A tangi is in progTess at the meeting-hous6 at Omahu,