Remembering Parekura Horomia

Remembering Parekura Horomia

Wairoa Maori Film Festival Remembers the Dreams of Parekura Horomia

A great Totara has fallen in Te Ao Maori. Parekura Horomia served as a Member of Parliament in the Ikaroa-Rawhiti electorate since 1999, and recently died while still in office. Aue! He also served as the Minister of Maori Affairs for almost a decade, and was a staunch advocate for Wairoa and for Maori film making.

Parekura Horomia supported the Wairoa Maori Film Festival from its inception. He attended and spoke at all of the festivals whilst Minister of Maori Affairs, and made sure to continue his presence at the festivals since. In 2006, he created a Maori Film Scholarship programme that supported young Maori film makers nationally and locally in Wairoa.

While Wairoa remained a quiet corner of Aotearoa, Parekura Horomia fought for resources to be put in place in the district and a direct result of his work was the opening of the Te Puni Kokiri office in Wairoa.

"Parekura was a friend of Wairoa and a friend of the Maori film festival," says Festival Director Leo Koziol. "From the beginning he believed in us and he never stopped supporting us or dreaming our dream. He will be greatly missed."

Penei tonu matou
Ta te roimata hanga he kai maringi kino
E i... E i... Aue!

Moemae e hika!
Haere atu ra e te rangatira!
Haere atu ra!

I roto i nga ringaringa o te atua!

- Leo Koziol me te roopu whakaata Maori I Te Wairoa

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