Politicians across Aotearoa are paying their respects this morning to a wahine toa who changed the country’s political landscape forever.

Tangihanga preparations are underway for Kahurangi (Dame) Tariana Turia, who died this morning following a stroke earlier this week. She was 80.

The former government minister and founder of Te Pāti Māori is being remembered today for being “a principled leader, never swaying from her values and doing what she believed to be right,” in the words of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.

“She was a tireless advocate for the betterment of Māori,” he said in a statement.

“Among many contributions, she will be remembered for her work establishing the Whānau Ora programme to improve Māori and community wellbeing.

“Dame Tariana leaves a significant legacy for Māori and for New Zealand,” Mr Luxon said.

“Dame Tariana’s passing will be felt keenly by her iwi, hapu and whānau, and my thoughts and condolences are with them today.”

Condolences also flowed from the party she founded, Te Pāti Māori, which took to social media this morning to mourn their very first leader.

“Takiri ko te ata ki runga o Titohea, kia inu au i te wai o te puna e kore e mimiti.”

“Aue te mamae e ngau kino nei i te ngākau o tō iwi Māori e kui Tariana. Te tōtara haemata, te tawatawa titī kua riro tītapu ki te pō. Te matakahi maire i hinga i te wīrau, kia ora ai te kanuka, te rimu, te tanekaha ki tōnā whenua ake.”

“Whoatu e kui, ki te rāngai rangatira ki te kāhui Ariki e whanga nei ki a koe.”

Meanwhile Labour’s Chris Hipkins has called her “the very definition of a wāhine toa,” saying she “gave a loud voice to those who were historically and wrongly heard less, particularly those in the Te Tai Hauāuru electorate”.

He also paid tribute to her eight years in the Labour Party, calling her “a driving force” in her portfolios as Associate Minister of Māori Affairs, Housing, Social Services, and Health.

“Dame Tariana contributed greatly through the course of successive governments, and her relentless commitment to the betterment of Māori and the upholding of Te Tiriti was beyond admirable.”

“The creation of Whānau Ora changed the course of history for many, and the results of Dame Tariana’s spearheading of that work will ripple for decades to come.”

Dame Tariana departed the Labour government in 2004 over the Foreshore and Seabed Act, instead forming Te Pāti Māori and later securing a review, repeal and replacement of the Act with the Takutai Moana (Marine and Coastal Area) Act 2011.

Dame Tariana’s tangihanga

In announcing the death of Dame Tariana Turia this morning, Te Ranga Tupua also shared details of her tangihanga.

Whānau will be gathering at Pākaitore where Dame Tariana will lie at 1pm on Friday.

Pākaitore, in many ways, represents the beginning of Dame Tariana’s political career, where she led a 79-day occupation in 1995 that brought propelled her onto a national stage, before she joined the Labour Party in 1996.

From there, she will travel by waka to Putiki Marae, before returning home to Whangaehu at approximately 4pm.

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 both Sunday and Monday, before the nehu (burial) on Tuesday 7 January at 11am.