Poroporoaki to Whai Ngata

From Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Maori

Katanuku katanuku
Katanuku koa te tihi o te maunga
Katanuku e

E te papa a Whai moe mai.
Kua oti to whawhai, kua oti tou pakanga
Moe mai e koe ki nga ringaringa o nga matua tupuna kua riro ki te po ra
Mai i te po nui ki te po ata
Mai i te po ata ki te ata po
Moe mai, moe mai, moe mai ra.
Me te mahara ki au mahi rangatira ki te ao papaho

He tangata kaha koe kia tutuki pai ai nga moemoea mo te iwi Maori, araa ko te whakapuawaitanga o a taatou reo me ana tikanga. Nau ano ra e Whai, i whakatakoto i te ara hei hiikoinga ma maatou eenei reanga i teenei wa. No reira e te papa. Kua nui, kua oti pai aau mahi. E Whai Moe mai.

Te Whakaruruhau the Iwi Maori Radio Network mourns the loss of one of Maori broadcastings finest advocates Whai Ngata. He was one of the foremost Maori language experts on television, he worked for 25 years on TVNZ and was influential on all the major Maori television shows of the last generation. Whai is one of the few Maori journalists who has worked in the print, radio and TV industries. He started his career as a young journalist with the Auckland Star, worked on Radio New Zealand and finished his career as the boss of the Maori department at TVNZ. He was a perfectionist as far as te reo Maori went and was a great supporter of Iwi Radio.

I will remember him as a tuturu Ngati Porou, whanaunga and gentleman and wish his whanau all the best at this sad time.

No reira e te whanaunga Whai. Moe mai ra.

Willie Jackson

Chairman of Te Whakaruruhau o Nga Reo Irirangi Maori

ENDS

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