Roimata, waiata, haka, and tributes flowed strongly and steadily, much like the Whanganui River, as Kahurangi Tariana Turia was brought onto Pākaitore.
The ātea adorned with parekawakawa, tino rangatiratanga flags and photos of tūpuna as iwi of Te Ranga Tupua farewelled their whāea.
“Kua tīmata i tō hīkoitanga - tēra [o] Te Tiriti, te mana motuhake. Tērā te mana o te kotahitanga, tērā i runga i te reo iere o tō kāinga e tangi hotuhotu,” said one kaikōrero.
Your journey has begun – the journey of Te Tiriti, of sovereignty, of unity, carried forth through the voices of your people who mourn your loss.
The hau kāinga echoed those sentiments.
“Kua kaukau te wahine [i] te kauhanga roa, ka whawhai ia i te whawhai pai.”
She has traveled the long path; she has fought the good fight.
Pākaitore, in many ways, represents the beginning of Dame Tariana’s political career, where she led a 79-day occupation in 1995 that propelled her onto a national stage, before she joined the Labour Party in 1996.
After laying in Pākaitore for part of the afternoon, Dame Tariana was taken by waka to Pūtiki Marae, before going to Whangaehu Marae, where her tangihanga begins tomorrow.
Friday and Saturday are reserved for Te Ranga Tupua, an iwi collective representing Ngaa Rauru, Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa, Mōkai Pātea, Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Rangi, and Whanganui.
On Sunday and Monday the marae will open to the motu to bid farewell to Dame Tariana.
Powhiri will be held at 9am and 2pm on Sunday and Monday.
Whakaata Māori will livestream the tangihanga each day until the nehu (burial) on Tuesday January 7 at 11am.
The livestream will be available on MĀORI+, here on the Te Ao Māori News website, and broadcast live on Te Reo Channel (Freeview channel 10, Sky channel 82) from Saturday 4 January, 8.55am, though timing is subject to change.
