traditional knowledge conference 2008 te tatau pounamu

He Poroporoakī ki a Te Hau-o-te-rangi TutuaMatiu DicksonLaw School, University of WaikatoOn Saturday 31st May this year, an important kaumāua or elder of my waka (founding canoe),Mataatua, died suddenly. His name was Te Hau-o-te-rangi Tutua. He had officiated as tohunga (tribalexpert) at the dawn opening ceremonies of an ancestral house on his mother’s marae (tribal meetingground) at Waiōhau in the Bay of Plenty. Later that morning, when the home people were readyingthemselves for the welcoming ceremonies on the marae (open courtyard), he collapsed while walking tothe pae tapu (the traditional seating benches for speakers of the marae). In talking to one of his sisterslater, it appears that he suffered a heart attack and died when he fell.His death was a shock to everyone who knew him, as he was thought of as a healthy and ruggedindividual. He was in his early 70s and was described by speakers at his tangihanga (rites for the dead)as a Pou-toko-manawa or stalwart of his iwi (tribe), Ngāti Awa. And of course he was. He was relatedto me through his father who came from the Ngāiterangi iwi and Ngāti Tapu hapū (clan) of Tauranga.His name was that of the Ngāiterangi tupuna (ancestor), Te Hau-o-te-rangi, who lived on Mauaomountain.Te Hau was brought up learning the tikanga or customary practices of his hapū and iwi. He wastaught by his elders. He was highly regarded for his expert knowledge of tikanga (customs, procedures)and reo (Māori language). His willingness to share this knowledge meant that he was sought after bythose in his own tribal area and throughout the country. Often, we of Ngāiterangi would request that hespeak at the wānanga (educational gatherings) we held to discuss our history, whakapapa (genealogy)and tribal tikanga. I am sure that other iwi made such requests, too.Te Hau would never decline because it seemed that he enjoyed the exchange of knowledge thatthese wānanga fostered. As a koha (gift) for him, I would endeavour to teach him a traditional waiata(song) of our iwi. I know that he appreciated this gesture. The last song that we sung together was thatcomposed by Tupāea for his younger brother, Te Korohiko. This waiata tangi (lament) is well-known inTauranga as “Kapokapo”. We sung it together on a hīkoi (walk, journey) around the East Coast to tracethe steps of our common ancestor, Te Rangihōuhiri. Our journey took us past the ancient pā (fortifiedvillage) of Tawhitirahi. He was a true Māori academic!In the whaikōrero (speeches) and poroporoakī (eulogies) by numerous speakers at his tangihanga,Te Hau was described as the following:He tangata whai mana—a person of significance;He tangata tinihanga—a person who was amusing;He tangata haututū—a mischief maker;He tangata rūkahu—a person who told way-out stories 1He tangata whakapono—a religious person; he was a member of the Ringatū faith;He tangata mau tikanga—a learned person in tikanga and custom;He tangata whakaaro nui—a visionary;He tangata manaaki tangata—a person who cared for others;He tangata mau taiaha—an expert at using Māori weaponry;He tangata mahi whakairo—a well-known carver;He tangata tū i runga i te marae—a gifted whaikōrero speaker.1 On this point he agreed with the theory that Māori came from Taiwan; that is why everyone knew him as Ching,because he was their tuakana (older brother)!25