Thousands of people have come through Te Rāhui Marae grounds in Tikitiki to pay their respects to Ngāti Porou leader Dr Apirana Mahuika, who passed away on Monday at the age of 80. He has been described as one of the greats by many, and was given a touching farewell before being laid to rest in his family cemetery.
Flanked by the descendants of Ngāti Porou, Dr Apirana Mahuika is carried to his final resting place. Emotions flowing freely in a moving farewell tribute.
Various top level government ministers who worked with him over the years came especially to pay their final respects.
Māori Party leader Te Ururoa Flavell says, "This type of person, you will never see this type of person again these days, from that ilk, they carefully considered every possible angle, so that they would find the best solution for the way forward."
Kuini Moehau from Ngāti Porou says, "The way forward now is to nurture up our own prodigies in all aspects of the word, this is the legacy sown and left behind by this man."
Laid here amongst his ancestors at Kaitaha Cemetery, stands the unwavering mountain, Hikurangi.