AGED MAORI WOMAN

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 435, 17 May 1937, Page 4

AGED MAORI WOMAN

Death At 113 Years Press Association—CopyTlghL Hastings, May 16. Reputed to be 113 years of age. Mrs Pirihira Te Ara ißameka paseed away at Omahu yesterday. From information which has been made available and which appears.' to be quite correct, although it is probably difficult to check, it is fairly evident she must have been well over 100 years of age and was probably the oldest person in the Dominion. Born at Gisborne, Mrs Rameka was a member of the Rongo Whakata tribe that war settled in East Coast districts. She married Wi Piro, and from this marriage there is still one son alive, Matanuku Piro, of Gisborne, he being 74 years of age. Im accordance with the Maori custom of those days she accompanied her husband on his excursions into the Mssori wars and eventually this ledi to their being associated with the renowned Te Kooti for many years. They followed Te Kooti, and even after her husband was killed in warfare she continued to be one of a band that roamed all along the coast.