Dame Georgina Kirby's grandson says it was a 'privilege' to be raised by her

Dame Georgina Kirby, 85, was farewelled at Te Māhurehure Marae in Auckland on June 14. Photo / File

The late Dame Georgina Kirby's legacy is hard to measure.

Since being born at Horohoro and attending first Horohoro School, then Rotorua High School, Kirby has flown far and wide.

Her contributions to society span every sector from the arts, to financial literacy education. Whether Kirby was at United Nations conferences in the United States and Africa, at her church in Orewa, or launching Australia's first Women's Aboriginal Arts Festival, she advocated for indigenous rights and the rights of women.

Dame Georgina, who died on Friday aged 85, will be remembered as a founder of Māori Women's Development Incorporated, an instrumental member of the Māori Women's Welfare League, and a representative of New Zealand in different arenas all over the world.

Dame Georgina Kirby (second from left) in front of the Suffrage Memorial in Khartoum Place in Central Auckland. Photo / File

But for Mihaere Kirby and his younger sister Patrice, Kirby will always be "Nana".

"I'm a very privileged boy to have been raised by a beautiful and loving grandmother," cultural adviser and master's student Mihaere Kirby said.

He remembers his grandmother always being there to drive him to school and to welcome him home.

"We used to play in her office," he said.

"We were lucky to be the babies pulling on her skirts."

Mihaere Kirby is grateful for his grandmother's decision to enrol him in New Zealand's first kura kaupapa Māori, even when it only had five prefabs and 80 students.

"She'd always say to us, 'You must be a scholar in both languages'.

"She was passionate about te reo, passionate about the culture."

Kirby used to tell her grandson she learned her business skills from her father.

"She had a lot of foresight. She talked about the importance of financial literacy, knowing how to make money, save money, invest money, spend money."

Mihaere Kirby said he didn't realise exactly who his grandmother was until he was a young adult.

"She had a way with people.

"So there were always people coming to visit, to seek her advice. I thought they were just coming for cups of tea."

To this day, he continues to discover the ways his Nana has made an impact on people's lives.

"I didn't even know half the things she did.

"I've been looking at a lot of social media conversations about her leadership, about how her mentorship has helped individual people. It's enormous."

Rotorua Boys High School raukura principal Chris Grinter said the school's thoughts were with the family of Dame Georgina, who was inducted to the school's Hall of Fame as a Raukura i te Ao.

"Dame Georgina Kirby was named an inductee to the Rotorua Boys' High School Hall of Fame, as a Raukura i te Ao. This acknowledges her as a graduate of our school who went out into the world.

"We thank her for her tremendous contribution to our kura, the vast kaupapa she was part of, the community, and motu whānui."

Dame Areta Koopu remembers Dame Kirby as a great friend and mentor. Photo / File

Dame Areta Koopu remembers Kirby as a great friend and mentor.

"She always had a vision for the future," Koopu said.

"She was always encouraging you to get on with things like she did. She just did things."

Koopu said her friend was instrumental in supporting Māori women in business.

"She was a driving force in getting us to play our part economically."

Dame Georgina Kirby with her husband Brian Kirby. Photo / File

Mihaere Kirby said his grandmother couldn't have done it all without the support of her late husband, Brian Kirby, who had a "big heart for all things Māori".

"Our family, me and my sister and my dad, we had to share Nana with the world.

"When she left, she left a legacy. A lot of women can be leaders now."

Mihaere Kirby said he hoped women would always remember his Nana's words.

"Don't let anyone run over you."