Sir Tumu Te Heuheu, paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, died overnight. Photo / Andrew Warner
Sir Tumu Te Heuheu, paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, died overnight. Photo / Andrew Warner
THE FACTS
Sir Tumu Te Heuheu, paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, died overnight, aged 84.
Sir Tumu chaired the Māori Heritage Council and was a key figure in heritage and environmental protection both nationally and internationally.
In 2009, he was knighted, having earlier been made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to conservation.
At the beginning of this year, we mourned the passing of Dame Tariana Turia, a leader of immense mana who led with humility and quiet strength. Today, we grieve again as we farewell Sir Tumu Te Heuheu, paramount chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Both were softly spoken, yet theirvoices carried extraordinary power. Both lived lives of service, upholding their people, their values, and the future of Aotearoa.
On the occasions I was privileged to meet Sir Tumu, I had the sense of a deeply humble and thoughtful man. He did not need to command attention; his presence spoke for itself. His words were measured, his wisdom evident, and his commitment to his people and this land unwavering.
Sir Tumu’s life was defined by service. When he succeeded his father, Sir Hepi Te Heuheu, as paramount chief in 1997, he inherited the weight of centuries of whakapapa and responsibility. He carried that role with dignity, protecting the treasures of Tūwharetoa while also leading nationally and internationally. He chaired the Māori Heritage Council, served on the Unesco World Heritage Committee, and guided trusts responsible for the lakes and forests of his iwi.
Sir Tumu was recognised nationally, first as a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and later as a Knight Companion. Yet the honours told only part of the story. What mattered most to him was the wellbeing of his people, the health of the land, and the preservation of cultural heritage. One of his enduring passions was the future of Tongariro National Park and its sacred peaks. For Sir Tumu, the return of these maunga to Tūwharetoa ownership was less about symbolism and more about restoring justice, healing relationships, and honouring the original gift made by his ancestors. As has been written in various articles since his passing, in Sir Tumu’s words, this was his “final great battle”. His passing reminds us that this work remains unfinished.
What set Sir Tumu apart was his ability to stand firmly in the Māori world while also building bridges into the wider world. He could negotiate with prime ministers, international organisations, and tribal leaders with the same sense of respect and integrity. His leadership was never about personal gain, but about collective responsibility – for his tribe, for Māori, and for New Zealand.
"The loss of Sir Tumu in the same year as Dame Tariana feels heavy for our country," writes Dr Areti Metuamate.
The loss of Sir Tumu in the same year as Dame Tariana feels heavy for our country. We have lost many leaders this year, but these two particularly stand out to me. Both showed that true authority does not come from volume or force, but from humility, integrity, and service.
They were anchors in turbulent times and exemplars of what it means to live for others. The only hopeful thing in this season of loss is that both leave behind the next generation to continue the work. The tōtara may have fallen, but the forest endures. Their lives remind us that leadership is also about preparing others to carry the mantle forward.
Haere rā, e te Ariki. May your journey onward be peaceful. May your people be strengthened in this time of loss. And may we, as a nation, take forward the lessons you embodied: that true leadership is quiet, steady, and rooted in deep love for the land and for future generations.
Dr Areti Metuamate (Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Haua, Cook Islands) is a political scientist and Master of Ormond College at the University of Melbourne.
