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The Gisborne Herald • Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Ko Titirangi te maunga, Ko Uawa te awa, Ko Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti te iwi
Farewell Parekura “People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel. Remember, what you do echoes in eternity.” — Maya Angelou Parekura Tureia Horomia
Parekura married the daughter of Wally Kaa and Tawhipare Keelan, Gladwyn Dalraine Kaa and together PAREKURA Tureia Horomia they had three sons. Gladwyn’s was laid to rest at his families’ untimely passing in 1993 robbed ancestral resting place, him of his soulmate and a dear Kohimarama Cemetery in Uawa mother for their sons. — Tolaga Bay on Saturday, May His other great loves were 4, 2013. Uawa and East Coast rugby and He had passed away the he would often reminisce about previous Monday at his home in who the team had intimidated Mangatuna after a long period and that their brand of rugby of unwellness. was so much “harder” than His sons, Desmond, Wallace today’s soft version of the game. and Turei and their families He derived considerable including his precious mokopuna satisfaction from Ngati Porou Theresa and Te Rau had only East Coast winning the a brief time to mourn for their father and Papa before he visited Hinemaurea Marae ki Parekura had touched Mangatuna for the last time and every sector of Maoridom, lay in state at Hauiti Marae. His of New Zealand society, family and siblings were told “grieve for him today because the South Pacfic and tomorrow he belongs to the communities around the motu”. world And then the motu arrived in wave after wave of salutation and song. Parekura had touched every Heartlands Rugby competition sector of Maoridom, of New in 2012. Zealand society, the South Shearing and the printing Pacific and communities around profession — a stint with the the world. Gisborne Herald formed part of It was obvious that many his career pathway — were to thousands of people appreciated take him and the whanau away the way he had made them feel. from Tolaga Bay, to Gisborne They saluted the son of Willow and Dannevirke. Horomia and Aorangi Smith and Returning home he became extolled his virtues of manaaki quite convinced that Hauiti tangata and kanohi kitea. economic development had to The man who would become be underpinned by a strong the “big boss of the Labour cultural foundation with the Department” and the 40th focus on marae, the whanau Minister of Maori Affairs was whanui and hapu. raised by his elders Poneke He was dedicated to the Te Waikari and Mum Jane Smith. Aitanga-a-Hauiti marae in He attended Mangatuna Native Uawa and was the youngest School and Tolaga Bay District chairperson of the Hatearangi High School and worked on the Maori Executive Committee. farm; fencing, scrub cutting and Parekura supported Te shearing. Kohanga Reo from its inception
and attended the Maori Women’s Welfare League AGM for 42 years and was made a life member. He was a Maori Warden in Uawa and supported the Wardens at national level throughout his career. The Maori Battalion was another of his favourite kaupapa and he enjoyed the company of all the veterans and their families. His father Willow was a member of C Company and had served in World War 2. The 1990s were “prolific” years and Parekura worked on a number of Labour Department field work schemes up skilling whanau by rebuilding marae. He took this energy and commitment to providing training and employment nationally and internationally and was appointed General Manager of the Community Employment Group of the Department of Labour in 1992. Parekura supported the formative years of Te Runanga o Ngati Porou, was a member of the Youth Advisory and Lottery Boards, and a Trustee on the National Te Kohanga Reo Trust. In 1999, he stood as the Labour Party candidate for the Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorate stretching from Gisborne to Upper Hutt. Parekura won the electorate and in the new Labour Government formed after that election, he became a minister outside cabinet, being Associate Minister of Maori Affairs, Associate Minister for Economic Development, Associate Minister of Employment, and Associate Minister of Education. In 2000 he became Minister Parekura cheering Uawa rugby team on. of Maori Affairs under the prime minister of the day, Helen Clark, and was close to his many the years. He deeply respected meant waving goodbye to family Parliamentary colleagues over the work done by his ministry and friends for some time as you Te Puni Kokiri and the regional could go anywhere and end up offices. with anyone at any time. He loved all Maori and Maori Parekura retained his seat gatherings and was particularly when Labour was defeated in proud of his relationships with the 2008 general election but kapa haka that was not and sport and before he had supported set up Maori He attended all the Maori Netball Television with a passion. national Maori hui and as and expanded He attended the role of iwi many whanau and hapu all the national and iwi hui, including radio in New Maori hui Zealand. tangihanga, that he could and as many He also kept whanau and up his intense squeeze into a schedule hapu and iwi regime of that defied belief hui, including Parliamentary tangihanga, duties, that he could electorate squeeze into a schedule that responsibilities and iwi whanau defied belief. whanui labours. Parekura was recognised on In the week preceding his every marae in Aotearoa, and passing, he travelled the length enjoyed special friendships with and breadth of his electorate the Kingitanga and the House of to visit what was to be his Te Heuheu of Tuwharetoa and final stopover with the various the tribal leadership throughout branches. the motu, the Pacific and On the day of the tangi Hauiti, beyond. Ngati Porou and Ngai Tahu Parekura could just as easily joined with the motu to farewell pull over to the side of the road their son who had dedicated his and ask the Fulton Hogan life to improving the plight of workers “Is the billy hot?” the people in every way that he He had a fleet of official and possibly could. His contribution informal drivers at his beck and legacy will endure and echo Parekura greeting Sir Henare Ngata, Ruatoria 2001. The hui celebrated him becoming Minister of and call and getting behind the into eternity. He made too many Maori Affairs. Gisborne Herald file picture steering wheel to drive Parekura people feel good for it not to. (November 9, 1950 — April 29, 2013)
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