"Even after his recent retirement, Fred maintained a close relationship with us providing tikanga support and advice for judges and registrars.
"Fred was the kaumatua for the district and high courts within the Waikato region and introduced the kaupapa Maori protocols for the courts. This kaupapa spread nationally and is recognised as the standard for all district and high courts.
"In this regard he was instrumental in closing the gap between a structured view of the position and delivery of justice services and the cultural needs of the wider communities."
Mr O'Brien said Mr Whata broke new ground in terms of his approach to removing cultural barriers, some of this no doubt attributed to his infectious smile and his gift of being able to communicate at all levels and ability to gain the respect of his audience.
"In reading through the numerous emails which are being posted through the justice sector today, one really resonated with me .... "Our Koroua, our Totara has fallen."
Mr Whata was last year awarded the Queen's Service Medal for his services to Maori.
He said at the time he wouldn't have achieved what he had without the support and love of his late wife, Rea Merengainoi Whata.
Rotorua Lakes Council Kaitiaki Maori director Monty Morrison said it was sad to hear of Mr Whata's passing, especially so soon after fellow Ngati Pikiao kaumatua Napi Waaka's death last week.
"Clearly Fred is a huge loss to us and the community. He contributed great service to the community to not only the tribe but the Ministry of Justice."
Rotorua district court judge Chris McGuire said "a great Totara has fallen in the forest of Tane".
"As kaumatua to the district court for many years, he brought great mana to that role, which he served with distinction. The judges and this community are deeply in his debt. Our sincere condolences go to whanau at this sad time."
Mr Whata spent more than 50 years as a trustee of various Maori land trusts and incorporations and was chairman of Te Karaka Inc for more than 20 years and chairman of the Ngati Pikiao Environmental Protection Society from 2011 to 2014.
He started at the courts when he was 50 and started a cultural group that held pohiri for the appointment of judges and lawyers being admitted to the bar.
Last year he described that as "the best thing I ever did during the 25 years, we became known throughout New Zealand, you'd have a Pakeha and they wanted a pohiri and they loved it and their families. Before, it was just a dry ceremony".
He was an iwi spokesman on environmental issues, succeeding in engaging councils with iwi to find solutions for pollution issues and the protection of the environment. He was also a member of the Okere Scenic Board for a number of years.
Uncle Fred walked the talk
Fred Whata started work at the Rotorua court as caretaker.
More than two decades on he was a high court crier, respected kaumatua and a skilled negotiator with commendations for diffusing tense situations.
If anyone could calm situations it was Fred. Should a "customer" give a judge lip, Fred would have a quiet word - often in te reo, loose tongues were quickly silenced with a chastened "sorry Uncle Fred".
When a couple were held hostage across the road, Fred persuaded their captor to free them and surrender his knife to him.
Protesters who wanted to down the court's flag and raise theirs were told by Fred he was a protester too, but they were in a place of protocol. They dispersed.
The last couple of times I saw Fred he was in full protester mode; in April he was in Wellington giving the Government an earful on the TPP, a few weeks later he was outside his beloved court calling for justice for killed toddler Moko Rangitoheriri.
"I'm doing it for my people," said the man who so often told me "don't just talk about doing things for your community, do it".
- Jill Nicholas
