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"He was an honourable man" - Mātauranga Māori enthusisast passes suddenly

Nephi Prime (Ngāti Ruanui, Tūwharetoa, Ngā Rauru), suddenly passed away in his Utah home on Sunday morning, aged 60.  Prime has been an influential figure for Ngāi Māori in the United States, where he has led the efforts to perpetuate mātauranga Māori since he moved there in 2009.

Prime's wife, Julia let her friends and family know the news of her husbands passing with these words on Facebook accompanied by a picture of Prime on a recent holiday overseas.

“He was an honorable man, a faithful priesthood holder and the love of my life who was called home to his Heavenly Father”.

Prime hailed from Taranaki, Motatau Maunga and is the baby brother in a family of eleven.  His ancestor, Mataroria, stood on the right of Kawiti at the Battle of Ruapekapeka.

Prime was heavily involved in Ngāti Hiona - a 35 year old Māori community group in Utah, with some second and third generation members who perform regularly at various events state-wide.

Of Prime, one of the members wrote:

“He became the expert and community leader that those from different cultures, and we who were not raised to speak the reo, called to teach and demonstrate Māoritanga here in Utah….Although he was short in stature, he was mighty in his testimony of the gospel and his love passion for his people and culture."

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Prime's passing touches the lives of many people, from his current residential town in Utah, to Tauranga, Hawai'i, Taranaki, and beyond.  He will be greatly missed by members of the LDS church, his family, and his dear wife.

One of Prime's ambitions was to build a gathering place for Māori in Utah.

“Ever since I got here in 2009, from then til now, everyday, every night, I dream about how to build a marae here in the U.S,” said Prime in an interview with Pere Wīhongi last year.

The marae was last projected to be built in 2020.

A funeral service will be held for Nephi Prime on Saturday 20th July at 11am (Mountain Time), Riverton Stake, Western Springs, UT, United States.