Te Arawa mourn the loss of 'Aunty Iri' - matriarch Irirangi Te Kowhai (+video)

Iri Te Kowhai, known as a woman who did things her own way, but who would drop everything to serve her iwi, has died.

Irirangi Te Kowhai (nee Haronga) died peacefully at her home surrounded by whanau and friends early yesterday morning, aged 65.

Mrs Te Kowhai was a breast cancer survivor, but succumbed to kidney failure, again on her own terms, after stopping her dialysis treatment last week.

Also known as Aunty Iri, the matriarch of the kitchen at Te Papaiouru marae's wharekai, Whakaturia, she would have overseen hundreds of thousands of meals to come out of the kitchens there and at her home marae Tunohopu, just a few hundred metres down the road from Te Papaiouru in Ohinemutu.

Despite suffering from breast cancer at the time, she dropped everything, including her cancer treatment, to oversee proceedings at Sir Howard Morrison's tangi in September 2009 where she and the kitchen staff prepared about 8500 meals.

She was awarded the Rotorua Daily Post Person of the Year in 2009 for her service to Te Arawa/Ngati Whakaue and the wider community.

She met her husband, Patrick, while working at Kilwell Sports and also worked as manager of Fenton's Tavern and in the kitchen at Tamaki Maori Village.

Her body was taken on to Tunohopu marae yesterday afternoon. Her funeral service will be held tomorrowmorning.

Her niece Angela Katipa said Mrs Te Kowhai called the shots in all aspects of her life, right up until the time of her death, where she had already prepared the menu and organised caterers for her funeral.

"She made the decision to stop her dialysis treatment last week, she did things her way."

Ms Katipa said her aunt would always be remembered for her "lolly barrel" full of treats for visitors to her home.

While she was never professionally trained as a cook, she told the Rotorua Daily Post in December of 2009 that she learned her skills in the kitchen from her mother.

"'When I first got married my husband used to throw my food out the window and say 'hmmm, that was nice' and the neighbour's cat used to eat it."

Ms Katipa said her aunt was generous and always positive and her tangi would be a feast for the ages.

"Her positive character shone through and she had her sense of humour until the end and she was so full of love.

"She was hardworking, determined, forthright and took people with potential under her wing.

"She had planned everything for her funeral and even rang Bidvest (catering) to make orders - it's going to be a real feast - and that couldn't make her happier."

Te Arawa and Ngati Whakaue kaumatua Monty Morrison said the iwi had lost a fantastic woman who had served her people for decades.

"It is a great loss. She was a once-in-a-generation person and her legacy will be in her service role and all of the skills she passed on to others.

"Even from hospital she was passing on instructions and orders, for her everything had to be just right," Mr Morrison said.

IRI (IRIRANGI) TE KOWHAI (nee Haronga)
- Born: Rotorua, 1951
- Education: Rotorua Primary, Sunset Intermediate (foundation pupil), Western Heights High
- Family: Husband Pat, sons Joe and Boss, daughter Diane
- Died: Rotorua, January 30
- Tangihana: At Tunohopu marae this week. Funeral service tomorrow morning