Young Te Arawa leaders say they have big shoes to fill

Arapeta Tahana. PHOTO/FILE

Young Te Arawa leaders say they have big shoes to fill, but have to soldier on after the deaths of three kaumatua in the past few weeks.

Te Arawa has lost more than 200 years of knowledge and experience after the deaths of Reverend Te Napi Tutewehiwehi Waaka, 81, Te Uru O Te Whetu Fred Whata, 81, and Mita Mohi, 77.

Bay of Plenty regional councillor Arapeta Tahana, who is of Ngati Pikiao descent, said there would be a lot of pressure on the younger generation to step up and continue the men's good work.

He said the challenges of modern life meant often young people did not get the time or opportunity to learn from their elders.

"In terms of protocol and traditions all of those men were very strong in that domain and I think we are all very conscious we need those skills to be able to step into those roles.

"More importantly for me it raises the question about how well we are doing in the passing on of that knowledge and traditions."

He said in the past people would wait until they were in their 50s or 60s before taking on leading roles.

"I know when my father passed we had only just started that process... for our generation the pressure is coming on a bit earlier than we would have liked.

"A big challenge for the younger generation is the busy lives we lead, the balance to spend time with children and at work and on the marae," he said.

Mountain Bike Rotorua and Crankworx director Tak Mutu, who is of
Ngati Pikiao, Ngati Whakaue and Ngati Hurunga descent, said to say they were big shoes to fill was an understatement, but the passing on of those roles had been something Te Arawa had been doing well recently.

"We have been prepared by our elders particularly well, but I have a long way to go before I would be considered to have the same sort of mana as those men.

"There's so much great leadership gone, but I feel they have left a really solid legacy so I don't feel the knowledge has gone, we have lost key generational figures, but they have passed that knowledge on well and there are leaders out there to take up that mantle and continue their good work.

"We are in a much better position than we were two generations ago...and I know there are people around me who are able to take on those roles."

Mr Mohi's tangihana will be held at 11am on Thursday at Awahou Marae, near Ngongotaha. He will be buried at the nearby Ngati Rangiwewehi urupa, Puhirua.