A matriarch of the Māori world has been lost.
Tears flooded the kōhanga reo movement this morning when it was learned that the former Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board chief executive, Titoki Black, had died.
Along with her work in the kōhanga reo movement, she was an advocate for Māori health and an encouraging figure in the campaign to ban smoking in cars.
Black became chief executive of the Kōhanga Reo National Trust when she took over the reins from Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi.
Kōhanga Reo National Trust co-chair Rāniera Procter says she was a one-of-a-kind leader dedicated to what she championed.
“He kuia mutunga mai o te ātaahua, mutunga mai o te manaaki i te kaupapa. Kāre he aha ki a ia mēnā he nui tō mātauranga, he nui ngā reta whai muri i tō ingoa, ko tana matua, ko te hunga whai kiko ki tā tātou kaupapa, ko te kōhanga reo.”
She was a woman who was so beautiful, someone who cared greatly for our movement. It didn’t matter to her whether you had all of the knowledge in the world, how many letters you had at the end of your name, her main priority was those who embodied our movement, the kōhanga eeo.
Over the years the relationship between Black and the kōhanga reo movement has been turbulent at times, with reports published over the years about Black’s dismissal by the trust.
Procter says grievances between Black and the national trust have long been cleared and nothing but love is sent to her family.
“Nō te whakaaro nui ōna kia noho ia ki te whāriki o te whakaiti, ka mutu, he wahine whakatū kaupapa. Ko te kaupapa, tērā ko te hononga i waenga i te kōhanga reo me Te Matatini nāna anō tērā i whakapūmau, ko te whakaū i te taha ki te rū whenua i tū ki roto o Ngāi Tahu i ngā tau ki muri nei. Ka tō atu te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo ki te manaaki i raro i tana marumaru. Tatū atu ki te kerēme a te kōhanga reo, nāna hoki tērā i kōkiri, i whakapūmau i te wā i a ia e pupuri nei i te hoe urungi o te kaupapa.”
Perhaps because of her willingness in showing humility, and furthermore because she was a trailblazer initiating different movements and events. One was she cemented the relationship between kōhanga reo and Te Matatini, also carrying the kōhanga reo to the South Island after the earthquakes there in recent years, to support and aid them under her leadership. Even with the kōhanga reo claim, she spearheaded and cemented that during her time leading our movement.
Procter says Black was an integral part of the kōhanga reo movement and her legacy will be celebrated by the trust.
“I pūmau ia ki tā tātou kaupapa, kore kore nei ia i ngākaurua ki te kōhanga reo. I tīmata ai ia i ngā tau waru tekau i raro i ngā mahi o te tari Māori i taua wā, ā kuhu ki roto i ngā kōhanga reo o Mataatua, tatū atu ki āna mahi i roto i te poari matua hei kaiwhakangungu, hei kaiwhakamātau, ā, hei kaiwhakapakari i te kounga i roto i ō tātou whare kōhanga reo.”
She was forever faithful to the movement, she was never once doubtful about kōhanga reo. Her journey began in the 1980s, working under the then Māori Affairs Department, then went on to all the kōhanga reo in the Mataatua district, then on to her time on the trust board. She was a teacher, trainer and someone who worked to ensure greatness within our kōhanga reo.
Nā reira ka maumaharatia ia mō āna mahi nui, ka kōrerotia āna kupu ihirangi, tatū atu ki tana hā whakamutunga, i ngā rangi tata nei ko te kaupapa o te kōhanga reo i te kūrae o ōna whakaaro. Nā reira ko mātou tēnei ka tangi ki a ia, ka mokemoke ki a ia, otirā te momo i a ia kua riro i a tātou.”
Therefore she will be remembered for her great efforts. Her words will continue to be spoken. Even till her last breath over the past few days kōhanga reo was at the top of her mind. So we are here crying for her, missing her who is no longer with us.
The Kōhanga Reo National Trust will be attending the final day of the tangihanga on Wednesday to support the grieving family.
Tītoki Black is survived by her whānau, iwi and a generation of kōhanga reo children.
Haere atu rā e kui, ka pūrākautia ō mahi, ka takahia tonutia te ara i para ai mō ngā uri whakaheke, otirā, ka tangihia koe, ā haere nei te wā.