Kiro Witehira

Tu Tangata, Issue 31, 1 August 1986, Page 55

Kiro Witehira

na PIERRE LYNDON

POROPOROAKI

A prominent Maori elder, Mr Kiro Witehira of Kaikohe, has passed away aged 68.

Resident at Ngawha, he was a trustee of the thermal pools there and one of those responsible for their development.

An elder in the Mormon Church, he was also very active in Maori and community affairs both in Northland and Wellington, where he had lived for some years.

Nationally known, Mr Witehira was often at the forefront of the Waitangi commemorations where he gained wide

1946 Lands and Survey 1947 Lands and Survey 1948 Maori Affairs 1949 Lands and Survey 1950 Lands and Survey 1951 Lands and Survey 1952 Maori Affairs 1953 - 1954 Lands and Survey 1955 - 1956 - 1957 - 1958 Maori Affairs 1959 Lands and Survey Lands and Survey: 17 wins Maori Affairs: 18 wins

Pictured are the 1928 Native Land Court team

respect, more recently as a peacemaker between young and old. The director of Maori Affairs locally, Mr Tom Parore, said Mr Witehira had been very supportive of many of the department’s initiatives and was also on the committees of management of the Rangihamama and Omapere blocks. Recently, Mr Witehira was involved in the planning of the Mataatua canoe gathering which drew 2000 people to Te Tii, Waitangi, at Easter. He was also widely recognised as being an orator of the highest order, particularly of the northern dialect. He is survived by his wife and family and was of Ngai Tawake of Ngapuhi ancestry.

No reira haere e te matua haere ..

1960 Maori Affairs 1961 Maori Affairs 1962 Maori Affairs 1963 Maori Affairs 1964 Maori Affairs 1965 Maori Affairs 1966 Maori Affairs 1967 Maori Affairs 1968 Maori Affairs 1969 Lands and Survey 1970 Lands and Survey 1971 Maori Affairs 1972 -

Haere ki o tini matua ki to matua nui te rangi. E tikana kua hinga tetahi totara nui o te Tai Tokerau. He tangata tona rongo ko tae ke ki nga hau e wha o te motu. He Tangata Karakia, pumau kite rongo pai o ona matua; kua tae ke kite taumata o tana hahi kite Temepara hoki. Ko koe tenei ko Ngai Te Wake kite Waoku ko uru nei ki o tupuna maha kia Te Wharerahi ma kia Moka ma hoki me etahi atu o nga rangatira o nehe ra. He kawai Rangatira hoki - Kaati ki konei nga poroporoaki e te matua... Kua ngaro tetahi tangata, tona reo ko te reo ahua korero o Ngapuhi ake...

naku na enei a o karanga maha

1973 Lands and Survey 1974 Maori Affairs 1975 Lands and Survey 1976 Lands and Survey 1977 Lands and Survey 1978 Lands and Survey 1979 Maori Affairs 1980 Maori Affairs 1981 Maori Affairs 1982 Lands and Survey 1983 Lands and Survey 1984 Maori Affairs 1985 Lands and Survey