Kīngitanga mourns tumuaki Anaru Tamihana

Tumuaki and kingmaker Anaru Tamihana of Ngāti Hauā. Photo / Supplied

By Mana Wikaire-Lewis of Whakaata Maori

Māoridom is mourning the loss of tumuaki and kingmaker Anaru Tamihana of Ngāti Hauā, who died surrounded by whānau at Waikato Hospital on Saturday, aged 73.

Ngāti Hauā and the Kīngitanga have since named the 10th kingmaker of the Kīngitanga movement, on the eve of Tamihana's tangi. Anaru's successor will be his son, Hone.

Tamihana will be laid to rest this afternoon.

Te Ao Mārama producer Tamati Tiananga says Kīngitanga spokesman Rahui Papa described the late kingmaker as a humble man.

"He was a man who said very little on the paepae but, when he did speak. it was valuable.

"They also spoke throughout the tangihanga of his time working alongside local government and, in particular, championing kaupapa Māori for his people of Ngāti Hauā.

"In recent years, he was a strong advocate of champion rangatahi, which Ngāti Hauā has been very fortunate to see over the past couple of years, the establishment of the strategy around reo Māori, tikanga Māori and other things."

Also known as Andrew Thompson, in 2014, Tamihana was appointed as an Officer of the New Zealand Order for services to Māori, in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Before his appointment as tumuaki he had worked with youth and families. He also counselled for the Department of Corrections residential home Montgomery House from 1995 to 2003. He also held Māori advisory roles within the police and other government agencies.

"[Hone's] role is to be Te Pou Whakawāhi who will crown the next monarch, Tiananga says. "That's primarily their role and he sits alongside Kingi Tūheitia in his official events and huihuinga.