Poroporoaki ki a Kahurangi Raiha Mahuta

Kua mimiti te puna ki Taumarere!
Kua tau nga kohu ki runga i nga marae o Waikato Taniwha Rau!
Aue, te mamae!

E Raiha, e te rangatira, kua haere koe.
Kua mutu te mamae i to tinana, kua mamae inaianei to whanau, to iwi.
Haere ki o tipuna, haere ki to hoa rangatira, waiho matou i konei tangi ai.

Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples paid tribute to the vision, tenacity and determination of Lady Raiha Mahuta of Ngati Manu and Ngati Rangi of Ngapuhi, who passed away this morning.

“Lady Raiha was a formidable leader and negotiator on complex river and land claims for Waikato Tainui,” said Dr Sharples.

“She had a quiet presence on formal occasions, but she led from the front, and the people stayed close behind her,” he said. “She had many leadership roles in Tainui affairs, notably as Kaahui Ariki representative on Te Ara Taura and co-negotiator with Tukoroirangi Morgan on the Waikato River claims.

“She commmanded great respect from the Crown in our dealings on Treaty matters, for her commitment to principle, tempered by the best interests of her iwi and the nation.

“Lady Raiha stepped forward when her husband Te Kotahi Mahuta passed away – she saw the job through, despite her long illness, and only last weekend her people were able to salute her huge achievements.

“Now we mourn her passing, and our thoughts are with her whanau, including our colleague Nanaia – e te whanau pani, ka nui te aroha ki a koutou katoa.