On Monday morning, surrounded by her whānau, Hinewhare Te Turikātuku Ruiha Harawira died at Auckland Hospital following a battle with cancer.
Her five tamariki and many mokopuna survive her. Her whānau confirmed her death in a social media post on Tuesday morning.
“An unstoppable force in the drive of Tino Rangatiratanga”
She was key in hosting and guiding dignitaries to both Te Tii Marae in Waitangi and Te Whare Rūnanga at the upper Waitangi Marae.
The daughter of the late Titewhai and the sister of former MP Hone Harawira, Hinewhare too spent most of her life advocating for Māori rights.
“He tuahine, he wahine toa”
Ko Hinewhare tetahi o ngā pou o ngā iwi o Te Tai Tokerau i wero atu ki ngā kaiarahi tōrangapū. Ko āna mahi whakatairanga i ngā whainga o te iwi Māori i rongo, ko āna mahi whawhai i kite.
“He Kaiārahi o ngā hikoi ki Waitangi, ki te Paremata anō hoki, he toa o Ngā Kuri a Tū, o He Tauā, he reo kaha, he wahine mātātoa i ngā pakanga ki te Kāwanatanga, he tuahine, he wahine toa.”
Hei te ata o te Tūrei kawea ai tana tūpāpaku ki Ngā Whare Wātea, i Tāmaki Makaurau, ā, hei te Wenerei, ka tae atu ia ki Te Tii Marae ki Waitangi. Ko te rā whai muri, ka kawea ia ki Whakapara, i waho atu o Whangārei.
Hei ngā rangi tata nei puta ai te whakatau mō āhea tanumia ai te taonga o te mate.
