As Ahorangi Whatarangi Winiata continues to be farewelled at Ngātokowaru Marae, some of Aotearoa’s leading Māori language advocates say his influence extends far beyond Ngāti Raukawa.
They say `the Whakatupuranga Rua Mano strategy was a pivotal foundation for language revitalisation efforts adopted by iwi across the country.
Hundreds have continued to arrive in Horowhenua to pay tribute to the respected educator, strategist and language champion whose work helped reshape the future of te reo Māori.
Among them was renowned language expert Tā Tīmoti Kāretu, who said one of Winiata’s greatest achievements was ensuring his people could once again speak their own language.
“He nui ngā kōrero kei a au, heoi anō, i tēnei wā ko te tangi tonu ki a ia, ki ana tamariki, me te mihi hoki ki tāna i whai ai, ā, kua tutuki nei i a ia. Arā, kia kōrero tana iwi. Mena he tauira tērā hei whāinga mā mātou mā te motu, kua kōrero Māori katoa tātou.”
Kāretu said if the rest of the country had pursued the same strategy, te reo Māori would be far stronger today.
For Ngāi Tūhoe academic Hera Black-Te Rangi, Winiata’s success stemmed from a deep connection to his people and his whenua.
“E honohonoa nei ia ki wana marae, ki wana hapū, ki wana maunga, ki ngā awa, kei wareware ano hoki wana taniwha hoki, hei whakamāro i tana tuara, ana, kei reira te tīmatanga.”
Black-Te Rangi said those foundations were central to understanding both the man and the movement he helped build.
Tributes have highlighted Winiata’s contribution to education, iwi development and politics, but most prominent is Whakatupuranga Rua Mano, which has been described as one of his most significant achievements.
Developed in the 1970s, the strategy was created to maximise the survival and prosperity of the Māori people by the year 2000.
Its influence would eventually spread beyond the boundaries of the ART confederation (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa, and Te Ātiawa) rohe.
On the pae, language advocate Tātere Macleod described Whakatupuranga Rua Mano as the original template for many of the language revitalisation strategies later adopted by iwi throughout Aotearoa.
“Whakatupuranga Rua Mano, koia hoki te mātāmua, irakati, irakati, mutu tonu atu. A Kotahi Mano Kāika, a Kahungunu kia Eke, Te Whare Tāhuhu kōrero o Hauraki, te huhua o ngā rautaki whakarauora reo, i takea mai ai ia Whakatupuranga ruamano, i takea mai ai, i a wai? I a wai kē atu hoki, ia Ahorangi Whatarangi Winiata”
Macleod said Winiata had laid the foundations for language revitalisation efforts that followed.
“Koinā hoki te tipuna o ngā rautaki whakarauora reo a ngā iwi katoa o te motu, nō reira, nāna i para te huarahi i whāia e Ngāi Tahu, e Kahungnunu, e ngā iwi katoa o te motu.”
Kāretu agreed, saying the strategy remains a model for future generations to aspire to.
“Ka noho tēra hei tauira hei whāinga mā tātou katoa, wētahi kāore i aro mai, engari kua tahuri mai te rangatahi, tērā pea kei roto i tērā tahuritanga mai te orangatonutanga o tō tātou reo, haere ake nei.”
He said the growing number of rangatahi embracing te reo Māori offered hope for the survival of the language.
Other kaikōrero reflected on the broad range of influence he had.
Former Māori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell recalled meeting Winiata through the emergence of the Māori Party.
“Nā wai, nā wai, ka tae mai te hīkoi nui, ki te mata o te whenua, te aranga mai o Te Pāti Māori, taku taenga atu ki reira, ā, i reira i tuitui ai te āhuatanga o te ara whanaunga, māua ki a māua.”
Winiata served as the founding president of the Māori Party and remained an influential voice in Māori politics throughout his life.
He was also a key author of the party’s constitution.
He will be laid to rest at Raumatangi urupā tomorrow.
