Staunch iwi advocate

LOOK HERE: Ken Mair (left) and Piripi Haami talk to National's Maori Affairs Minister John Luxton during the occupation of Pakaitore/Moutoa Gardens in 1995. PHOTO/ FILE A-WAC1995MOUTOA09

Piripi Haami was one of the staunchest advocates of tino rangatiratanga - self determination - for his Whanganui people.

From Ranana, he was brought up in Wanganui and Ohakune.

He died in Wanganui on Sunday, aged 64, after being unwell for two years.

"He was a very very staunch, strong advocate for bringing about positive change for us as an iwi, and for the river," his friend Ken Mair said.

"It didn't matter what it was. He certainly gave his time and energy to the people."

Mr Haami was one of those involved in a protest against TV1 News for their lack of support of Te Karere more than 20 years ago.

Then he took an active role in the occupation of Pakaitore/Moutoa Gardens in 1995.

After an agreement about the land was signed with Government he was also a member of the gardens' governing board.

In the 1990s Mr Haami was involved in the beginning of Whanganui iwi's annual river journey, the Tira Hoe Waka, and he carried on that involvement.

He was part of a group that stopped the auction of the Partington photographs of Whanganui River people in 2001, and he tried to stop the Ongarue riverboat being moved from Pipiriki to Wanganui in 2005.

He also opposed a tourism development on an urupa near Pipiriki in 2008.

More recently Mr Haami acted as ambassador for riverboat owner Robert "Baldy" Baldwin, in his relationships with Maori. And Mr Mair said he was "over the moon" at the signing of the Whanganui River settlement at Ranana last year.

He was always present at tribal events, and the Chronicle has photographs of him from those times.

Family were to take his body to Pakaitore/Moutoa Gardens yesterday and over night, prior to his burial today. Others who have spent time in the reserve after their deaths include Jim Takarangi and Niko Tangaroa.

Mr Haami is to be buried at Aramoho Cemetery today.