Respected kaumatua dies

Katikati lost a prominent, respected Ma¯ ori elder with the death of Paeahi Wanakore last week.

Mr Wanakore died on Wednesday, August 9 aged 80, and lay in state at Te Rereatukahia marae before being buried at Katikati Cemetery on Sunday.

Described as a ‘gentle giant who called a spade a spade’, Mr Wanakore, or Pae as he was fondly known, was a staunch Ma¯ ori and ferocious about Ma¯ ori tikanga (culture). Extremely humble, Mr Wanakore was of Nga¯ ti Maniapoto descent and from Nga¯ ti Apakura hapu¯ , his family marae was Kahotea. He was a direct descendant of Kingitangi, the Ma¯ ori King movement in Tainui, yet he never talked about his relationship until his last days. He was chairman of Te Rereatukahia Marae for more than 30 years and only handed over his seat earlier this year. Married to Kerewai, from Nga¯ iterangi she is a kuia (female elder) at the marae.

Throughout his life he has held positions on many boards, including the Tauranga Moana Trust Board and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.

Dedicated to his wha¯ nau and local community the couple raised a family of six and in 1976 opened their home to children in need, fostering at least 100 children.

In 1985 they became official Child Youth and Family caregivers and at one stage were one of the longest serving caregivers in the Bay of Plenty. The couple were proud of the progress they achieved with their foster children.

For years Mr Wanakore has been the familiar face and representative of the Ma¯ ori community attending many special events, performing karakia at project sites including the opening of Katikati’s newest road in decades, Middlebrook Drive, the new Katikati Fire Station and St John Ambulance Station and the revamped Katikati Caltex service station.

Mr Wanakore will be sorely missed by the Katikati community and throughout the district.

Pae at the unveiling of the Katikati mural, which celebrates 100 years of the dairy industry in Katikati, with a group of former workers.

(Left): Paeahi Wanakore thanked the family of Samuel Middlebrook for the taonga (treasures) they had left behind.Paeahi Wanakore and Demetrius Samuel at Rereatukahia Marae discussing the protection of precious pa sites for future generations.

(Left): In 2009, Paeahi Wanakore with past Katikati College student and designer of the Poutama building Wayne Knox, Katikati College principal Peter Leggat and Deputy Mayor Katikati councillor Sam Dunlop at the entrance of Poutama, which means stairway to heaven and to education.

Paeahi Wanakore.

Catherine Mair with Paeahi Wanakore and mayor Graeme Weld at the blessing of the haiku boulders at The Landing.