Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po led the first delegation of mourners onto Mataatua Marae in Ruatāhuna on Tuesday morning to celebrate the remarkable life of one of te ao Māori’s most respected figures, Tā Pou Temara.
Alongside Te Arikinui and many other rangatira was Te Panekiretanga o te Reo.
The Ngāi Tūhoe scholar and tohunga died on Sunday morning, aged 78, with his wife, Lady Lenadeen, and whānau by his side. His passing has brought people together from across the motu, including those who were taught by him and continue to carry the knowledge he shared.
Te whare makatea o Te Panekiretanga
Established in 2004 alongside Tā Tīmoti Kāretu and the late Dr Te Wharehuia Milroy, Te Panekiretanga o te Reo became the premier institute for developing absolute excellence in te reo Māori and advanced tikanga.
A Te Ika ā-Whiro graduate and Te Karere presenter, Te Manahau Morrison fondly remembers Tā Pou.
“Ngā momo kōrero e kore rawa e wareware i a au, ētahi o ngā kōrero i puta i a ia ki te katoa o mātau, ētahi o ana kōrero, kupu whakaari nei, i puta ki a au anake i a maua e noho tahi ana.”
As one of its founding pillars, Tā Pou shaped generations of graduates, transforming students into linguistic and cultural leaders who now carry his profound teachings across the country.
Chair of Ngāti Kahungunu Bayden Barber says Ngāti Kahungunu is feeling the loss of a man who helped shape Te Panekiretanga, helping forge an unmatched standard of cultural excellence.
“Ko ia te koikoi tapatoru o Te Panekiretanga.”
Fellow graduate, Raniera Procter notes that Tā Pou helped make warriors of his students, giving them the knowledge and confidence to carry on the teachings passed down through generations.
“Nāna mātou i manaaki ki ngā taonga tuku iho, ā, kua tae mai ki te tuku i ngā roimata,” reflects Procter.
He adds that the gathering is a chance to share their tears and memories while acknowledging the impact Tā Pou had on their lives, taking the knowledge of his own people and sharing it generously with the wider Māori world.
Procter says Tā Pou also took the knowledge of his own people and shared it with the wider Māori world.
Kupa Poihipi, of the Hāhi Ringatū, says his presence at the tangi reflects the connections Tā Pou had across different faith communities.
He notes that although Tā Pou followed the practices of various churches, the Ringatū community has come to stand alongside other people of faith to honour him.
“Me te mōhio iho, i whai ia i ngā tikanga a tērā hāhi, a tērā hāhi, heoi anō, tēnei mātou ngā Ringatū te eke mai,” says Poihipi.
A life dedicated to te ao Māori
Born and raised in Ruatāhuna, Sir William Te Rangiua Pou Temara dedicated his life to te reo Māori, tikanga and passing mātauranga Māori on to future generations.
He became a respected academic and tohunga, with unmatched expertise in whakapapa, karakia, whaikōrero and Māori philosophy.
Scotty Morrison reflects that Temara existed on a different plane.
“Ki a au nei, kotahi te Pou Temara. I haramai tērā tāngata i tawhiti nui i tawhiti roa i tawhiti pāmamao.”
“Ko te oha nui e kore e taea e te kupu kotahi te whakakupu, te whakakōrero, te whakatitina i tā Pou Temara i waiho mai.”
His work reached far beyond the classroom. He served on the Waitangi Tribunal from 2008 and played a crucial role in the return of Māori ancestral remains through his work with Te Papa’s Repatriation Advisory Panel.
Returning MP for Tāmaki Makaurau Oriini Kaipara observes that Temara always maintained the mana of those who presented evidence to the Tribunal.
“Koia tētahi o ngā pou matua o Te Taraipiunara o Waitangi. E kore rawa tāua e mārama, e mōhio, te reanga o nāianei engari, ko te whakapūmau ko te whakatoka i ngā mātāpono o Te Tiriti o ngā tīpuna i roto i ngā whakahaeretanga o ngā whare pēnei i te whare pāremata.”
He was also closely involved with the Kīngitanga, serving as a member of the Tekau mā rua, the advisory council to the Māori monarch.
His contributions were recognised in 2016 when he received a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and education. In 2021, he was made a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Earlier this year, his work was celebrated again at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, where his book Te Āhua o Ngā Kupu Whakaari a Te Kooti received the Māori Language Award.
A legacy that lives on
While his achievements span education, language, tikanga and leadership, those gathered at his tangi say one of his greatest legacies will be the people he taught.
His students are now left to carry those teachings forward, ensuring the knowledge he shared continues to reach future generations.
Barber says it is up to those who remain to follow in his footsteps.
“Te pou o Te Panekiretanga, te pou o ngā tikanga Māori, te pou o te reo, he nui tēnei hinganga, kua mahue mai mātou te whaiwhai i ōna tapuwae.”
