'Ko tāna he whakatinana' - Tributes flow for Professor Whatarangi Winiata

Thousands of people have made their way to Ngātokowaru Marae outside Levin to pay tribute to Emeritus Professor Whatarangi Winiata one of the most influential Māori thinkers of his generation.

The Ngāti Raukawa leader, economist, educator and lifelong advocate for te reo Māori, died last week aged 92.

He led the establishment of Te Wānanga o Raukawa in Ōtaki and pioneered the language strategy Whakatupuranga Rua Mano which began in 1975 aiming to establish a generation te reo speakers among Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa and Te Ātiawa by the year 2000.

Pou Tikanga Reo for Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Kahu Ropata said the impact Winiata had on the cultural and language revitalisation of the three iwi was "absolutely amazing."

"What a legacy, what a man, what a whānau for allowing Uncle Whata to do what he did. I mean, it would have been no easy feat when we think about 50 years ago. It's just sad to see some of our top academics go. Obviously they've lived full lives, which is great, it's their lives to be celebrated.

"I think we may not see his type again for a little while," he said.

Rāwiri Wright, the co-chair of Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa, was the final speaker, for the final ope (group) to be welcomed to Ngātokowaru Marae on Sunday evening.

He told RNZ that Winiata was the embodiment of tino rangatiratanga a quest for mana Māori motuhake.

"Ehara māna te kōrero noa iho ko tāna he whakatinana nē. Nā reira i roto i āna mahi katoa e ngana ana te whakatū i te taha Māori ki roto i ngā tūahuatanga katoa, i roto i te ao mātauranga, i roto i te hāhi, i roto i te kāwanatanga. Ko tāna ka tuhi ki te pepa ōna whakaaro, āna ariā, engari ka whakatū hoki kia kite mai te tangata, kia whai hei tauira."

Winiata's ability to set an example for others to follow was one of his greatest legacies, he said. He has even set an example for other indigenous nations to follow when rebuilding their native languages, he said.

"Ko Whakatupuranga Rua Mano, ko te Wānanga hei tauira mō tēnā iwi, tēnā iwi, tēnā iwi, ana ki o tātau whanaunga kei tāwahi hoki. Kua taetae mai ngā iwi taketake ō Kanata, ō Amerika, kua tae ki ā ia, kua tae ki ā ia."

Politicians from several different political parties have also been making their way to Levin as well.

Winiata was the founding president of Te Pāti Māori and remained a respected voice in Māori politics throughout his life.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson was also part of the last ope to be welcomed to Ngātokowaru. She told RNZ it was privilege to be there and to listen to many many tributes paid to Winiata.

"He was a politician, te ao tōrangapū... because being Māori is being political. Especially fighting for our reo, especially fighting for Te Tiriti, that's just political.

"And so it was rightful that people acknowledged his stand, taking a stand, through Te Pāti Māori as part of his ongoing mahi to whakamana Te Tiriti, to fight for the place of Māori as tangata whenua, to fight for the place of Te Tiriti."

Professor Whatarangi Winiata will be laid to rest at Raumatangi urupā on Monday.

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