Although he won't be involved in any of the official proceedings, Mr Harawira insisted that New Zealand's representation at Mandela's tangi required individuals who were more reflective of what the Nobel Peace Prize laureate stood for.
"He was an icon of our age, a leader whose relentless struggle against oppression will never be forgotten. He rose above persecution to lead his nation. It shouldn't be a surprise that those involved in his struggle want to attend his tangi," Mr Harawira said.
He was disappointed not to be approached by the Government to go to the funeral because he felt that the five-person New Zealand delegation excluded anyone who took part in protests against the Springboks rugby tour in 1981.
"As a leader of the Patu Squad, and as one of the key leaders of the anti-apartheid movement of 1981, I'm going to carry their best wishes and their verses to the tangi of Nelson Mandela," Mr Harawira said. "I think it's important that somebody goes who's not representative of this National Government, which has never been supportive of the aspirations of the black people of South Africa and was staunchly supportive of apartheid at the time."
Dr Sharples said yesterday that he would represent protesters at the official memorial service for Mandela, but Mr Harawira did not believe Dr Sharples was the right person for the job.
