OMEN
08-16-2006, 12:34 PM
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TEARS FALL: A mourner pays her respects to Dame Te Ata at Turangawaewae Marae this morning, as hundreds gathered to say farewell to the Maori Queen.
Right up until her death Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu had jobs for her husband Whatumoana Paki to complete.
Speaking for the family, Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta said this morning at a press conference at Turangawaewae Marae that up until yesterday there were projects such as the building of a deck and fixing the car which were high on Dame Te Ata's list.
She died yesterday evening at Turangawaewae Marae after a long illness.
Mr Paki had been a "tower of strength" for the family not only during Dame Te Ata's sickness but throughout her 40-year reign.
He was also dealing with the death early yesterday of his stepmother Emily Paki. She is at Te Ohaki Marae in Huntly.
Ms Mahuta said Dame Te Ata was energetic and optimistic right until her last moments.
Six of Dame Te Ata's children were with her when she died and one daughter who was in Australia was making plans to get back.
Iwi from throughout the country have started to pay their respects as well.
Timi Te Heuheu, speaking on behalf of his brother Ngati Tuwharetoa's paramount chief Tumu Te Heuheu, said he had known Dame Te Ata since they were both young.
She had given much of herself to the country, he said.
"Her passing serves to remind us of her hard work that nobody appreciates. It's not just one date a day like the rest of us but half a dozen – that's day in day out and all of them in human terms quite taxing.
"People know us (Maori) a bit better, know New Zealanders a bit better because of her."
Tuwharetoa and Te Arawa would arrive together first thing tomorrow, he said.
Ngati Porou's Apirana Mahuika said he respected Dame Te Ata "with every bone in my body, with my soul".
"Te Ata will be missed by all iwi throughout New Zealand, because she was a person of great dignity and mana, and that dignity and mana was displayed in her humility and the way and manner in which she dealt with people. Never in all my experience of Te Ata have I experienced her expressing her mana and saying 'I'm Queen Te Ata'. She never ever expressed that, which made it easier for a lot of people to acknowledge her status."
Ngati Porou planned to be at Ngaruawahia "in force" to pay their respects.
Outgoing Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright paid tribute today.
At a meeting before the coronation celebrations earlier this year, Dame Te Ata told her she wanted to keep travelling, and was wondering if she could go aboard a passenger liner.
"I thought 'the flesh may be weak but the spirit was still strong'," Dame Silvia said.
At noon today the St Peter's Cathedral bells will sound out 40 single peels, one for every year of Dame Te Ata's time as queen. The flag at the cathedral is at half mast.
http://stuff.co.nz/inl/images/masthead/waik.gif
TEARS FALL: A mourner pays her respects to Dame Te Ata at Turangawaewae Marae this morning, as hundreds gathered to say farewell to the Maori Queen.
Right up until her death Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu had jobs for her husband Whatumoana Paki to complete.
Speaking for the family, Labour MP Nanaia Mahuta said this morning at a press conference at Turangawaewae Marae that up until yesterday there were projects such as the building of a deck and fixing the car which were high on Dame Te Ata's list.
She died yesterday evening at Turangawaewae Marae after a long illness.
Mr Paki had been a "tower of strength" for the family not only during Dame Te Ata's sickness but throughout her 40-year reign.
He was also dealing with the death early yesterday of his stepmother Emily Paki. She is at Te Ohaki Marae in Huntly.
Ms Mahuta said Dame Te Ata was energetic and optimistic right until her last moments.
Six of Dame Te Ata's children were with her when she died and one daughter who was in Australia was making plans to get back.
Iwi from throughout the country have started to pay their respects as well.
Timi Te Heuheu, speaking on behalf of his brother Ngati Tuwharetoa's paramount chief Tumu Te Heuheu, said he had known Dame Te Ata since they were both young.
She had given much of herself to the country, he said.
"Her passing serves to remind us of her hard work that nobody appreciates. It's not just one date a day like the rest of us but half a dozen – that's day in day out and all of them in human terms quite taxing.
"People know us (Maori) a bit better, know New Zealanders a bit better because of her."
Tuwharetoa and Te Arawa would arrive together first thing tomorrow, he said.
Ngati Porou's Apirana Mahuika said he respected Dame Te Ata "with every bone in my body, with my soul".
"Te Ata will be missed by all iwi throughout New Zealand, because she was a person of great dignity and mana, and that dignity and mana was displayed in her humility and the way and manner in which she dealt with people. Never in all my experience of Te Ata have I experienced her expressing her mana and saying 'I'm Queen Te Ata'. She never ever expressed that, which made it easier for a lot of people to acknowledge her status."
Ngati Porou planned to be at Ngaruawahia "in force" to pay their respects.
Outgoing Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright paid tribute today.
At a meeting before the coronation celebrations earlier this year, Dame Te Ata told her she wanted to keep travelling, and was wondering if she could go aboard a passenger liner.
"I thought 'the flesh may be weak but the spirit was still strong'," Dame Silvia said.
At noon today the St Peter's Cathedral bells will sound out 40 single peels, one for every year of Dame Te Ata's time as queen. The flag at the cathedral is at half mast.
http://stuff.co.nz/inl/images/masthead/waik.gif