HE PĀNUI NĀ TE WHĀNAU TURIA:

Ka tanuku, ka tanuku! 
Ka tanuku koa te tāhūhū o Rangitāhuahua whare, ka horo! 
Ka horo i te rironga o tōna poutokomanawa! 
Te pou tautoko o te tini, te pou whakawhirinaki o te mano, Te Pou Tupua, ka riro! 
He tini whetū ki te rangi, he wai kei aku kamo, ka heke ki ngā wai o Whangaehu, hei utu i te aroha ki taku kura Kahurangi ka riro! 
E mate, kei hea rā tō aroha? 
E mate, kei hea rā tō ngākau atawhai? 
Waiho mai ki ahau a roimata, a hūpē hei hoa haere mōku, mō te whānau e ora nei.

The whānau of the Honourable Dr Dame Tariana Turia advise, with deep sadness, the passing of their beloved kuia at Whangaehu Marae in Whanganui in the early hours of Friday 3 January 2025.

A mother of six; grandmother; great-grandmother and great-grandmother of over 80 mokopuna, Kahurangi (Dame) Tariana will be remembered for spearheading a movement of transformation inspired by her belief in whānau being able to define their own solutions.

Her introduction of the concept of Whānau Ora in 2002; and her leadership as the first Minister for Whānau Ora in 2010, has been instrumental in changing the ways in which the State have worked for Māori and Pasifika families over the last two decades.

Kahurangi Tariana championed the drive for self-determination; becoming co-leader of the Māori Party in 2004 after she famously ‘crossed the floor’ to vote against the Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

Serving as a member of parliament for 18 years from 1996 to 2014, she was also resolute in her efforts to embed tobacco control reform; ‘enabling good lives’ with disabled persons; confronting rheumatic fever and establishing a ten year Māori housing strategy; He Whare Ahuru He Oranga Tangata.

Kahurangi Tariana worked tirelessly to advocate for Te Awa Tupua; the Whanganui River in the inaugural role of Te Pou Tupua from 2017 to 2021.

The loss of her beloved husband, George, in April 2019 took a significant toll on Dame Tariana, as has her declining health over the last two years.

It was her heartfelt wish to return home to lie in the house of Rangitāhuahua; her last days surrounded with the laughter of mokopuna, the waiata of her whānau; the karakia and kōrero that had always given her comfort.

Whānau will be gathering at Pakaitore where Dame Tariana will lie at 1pm today. From there, she will travel by waka to Putiki Marae, before returning home to Whangaehu at approximately 4pm.

For today and Saturday 4 January; this will be the time for the iwi of Te Ranga Tupua. On Sunday and Monday the marae will open to the motu, to come and say their farewells.

Powhiri will be held at 9am and 2pm each day.

The nehu will be held on Tuesday 7 January at 11am.

...........................

Hon Dr Dame Tariana Turia, of Ngati Apa, Nga Wairiki, Nga Rauru, Tuwharetoa, and Whanganui.

In 1993, Dame Tariana established Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority in Whanganui, the first iwi-led PHO. Dame Tariana Turia came to prominence as a national leader during the 79-day Pakaitore/Moutua Gardens protest in 1995.

Dame Tariana was a Member of Parliament from 1996 until 2014; eight years with the Labour Party; ten years with Te Pati Māori. She was the inaugural Minister for Whānau Ora; Disability Issues and Community and Voluntary Sector. She was also Associate Minister in Health, Māori Affairs, Social Development, Child, Youth and Family; Housing, Corrections, Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment.

Dame Tariana left Labour in protest at their plans to place ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the State and in May 2004 was appointed co-leader of the Māori Party. When she re-entered parliament in July 2004 she became the first MP to swear the oath in te reo Māori. The Maori Party entered into a Relationship Accord with National in 2008. From that Accord evolved Whānau Ora and a Ministerial Committee on Poverty which addressed rheumatic fever; extended home insulation for low-income families and established free doctors' visits and medicine for children.

Dame Tariana executed a comprehensive campaign to reduce tobacco consumption including legislation, removal of tobacco displays, plain packaging, smoking cessation, and tobacco taxation. In 2015 the American Cancer Society awarded her the Luther Terry Award for Exemplary Leadership in Tobacco Control.

Undeniably her greatest achievements are in Whānau Ora; a transformation that places the aspirations and outcomes for whānau at the centre. In her words: “The decisions must be made by the family; re-empowering the family to take back control over their own situation, to determine the solutions that impact on them. What we’re trying to do is to bring to fruition the aspirations of our people to take back responsibility and obligation”.

In 2010, Dame Tariana became the first recipient of 'Tu Rangatira mo te Ora' to recognise leadership in Maori health. She is the first Māori woman to receive the Blake Medal, the highest leadership award of the Sir Peter Blake Trust.

Dame Tariana was chair of the Parihaka Settlement Trust, a Pou for Te Pou Matakana; Pou Arahi for ACC, and Manu-Taki-i-te-Kahui for Te Pūtahitanga o te Waipounamu.

In December 2016, Hon Dame Tariana was appointed to the Whanganui District Health Board. She is an Honorary Fellow of the New Zealand College of General Practitioners and was a member of Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust Board. She is a life-member of CCS Disability Action and a Mentor for ABI Rehabilitation. Dame Tariana was the Chair /Trustee of National Hauora Coalition Trust from 2015 until November 2022. In July 2021 the NHC opened Te Turangawaewae Manahau a Tariana Turia – The Tariana Turia Centre for Excellence.

In November 2017 Dame Tariana was appointed Te Pou Tupua; to be the human face and act in the name of Te Awa Tupua; a role she described as the most important role in her life. In March 2023 Dame Tariana was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi.

In 2023, she was inducted into Te Whare Pūkenga, an award established by the National Iwi Chairs’ forum to recognise rangatira who have enhanced the lives of all whānau in Aotearoa.

Of all her achievements, Dame Tariana would say her greatest was her marriage of 56 years to George; her six children, and over 80 mokopuna.

Sir Mason Durie ONZ KNZM describes her leadership legacy.

“Her down-to-earth approach, coupled with her extraordinary ability to relate to all sections of society in ways that are frank and at the same time inspiring, have provided a style of leadership that can serve as a model for future generations”.

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