Poroporoaki: Heni Materoa Sunderland 17 July 2008

“E to e te ra, e to ki to rua.”

“E te kuia o te Tai Rawhiti, e te uri o Rongowhakaata, o Ngati Maru, o nga tätai whakaheke o Te Kooti Rikirangi, haere atu ra, haere atu ra, haere atu ra!

Kua whakarerea to whänau pani, rätou ko nga iwi o Turanganui a Kiwa e tangi ana i te mamae o te ngau o te mate! Aue, te aroha!”

The death of Heni Sunderland is a great loss to the nation, and the Maori Party extends its condolences to her whänau, and to the iwi of the Gisborne district, says Maori Party Co-leader Dr Pita Sharples.
“Heni was a repository of history and culture, who descended from people and places that are richly endowed,” said Dr Sharples.

“Heni was a key witness for the Turanganui a Kiwa claimants before the Waitangi Tribunal, when it investigated the details of early Pakeha settlement around Gisborne. The claims included the arrest and transportation of Te Kooti to Rekohu, his escape from prison and return to Gisborne by boat, and ‘Te Whai a te Motu’ – the pursuit of Te Kooti through the Urewera and Kaimanawa Mountains into the Rohe Potae of the Kingitanga – and the ensuing confiscation of large areas of land around Gisborne,” he said.

“It was typical of people with Heni’s depth of knowledge and wisdom, that her close links to Te Kooti did not prejudice her view of history. Heni knew the importance of whakapapa, and her relationships to both sides of the conflict, and she understood it is more important to know the truth than to pass judgement,” he said.
“Her iwi, Rongowhakaata, was also involved in negotiations with the Crown over the future of Te Hau ki Turanga, the magnificent carved meeting house which was removed from Gisborne, and is now housed in Te Papa Tongarewa. The resolution of sensitive issues like this, for the benefit of the whole country, can be achieved only by people immersed in tikanga Maori, and committed to good faith and a fair outcome.”

“Heni spent her life among her people,” said Ikaroa-Rawhiti candidate Derek Fox. “She was committed to the Anglican Maori Mission during the depression and World War Two, and she worked for many years as a Maori Affairs Department Community Officer in Gisborne. She was a stalwart of the Maori Women’s Welfare League and the kohanga reo movement, believing passionately in the value of a strong Maori identity to enable Maori to live confidently in harmony with others,” he said.

“Heni was a formidable woman of the nicest kind. She was a tower of strength, a fierce defender of her people’s mana, an eloquent advocate and representative, a wonderful matriarch and a generous supporter of younger generations,” said Mr Fox.

“Her own people will feel the most painful grief, but we share their sense of loss as we farewell this great kuia,” said Dr Sharples.

“Haere Heni, haere ki o matua, ki o tipuna, haere ki te po, haere ki te po.”