Professor Whatarangi Winiata attends the ceremony at Raukawa Marae in Ōtaki. Photo: Supplied / Iwi Charis Forum
Ngāti Raukawa leader Whatarangi Winiata has been recognised as a living taonga in a ceremony organised by the Iwi Chairs Forum.
Professor Winiata was an advocate for reo revitalisation and helped form the first Māori tertiary institute in Ōtaki, Te Wānanga o Raukawa.
He has also been a lead negotiator on several treaty claims, including the 1992 fisheries settlement and the ongoing radio spectrum claim. He was also a founding president of the Māori party.
Dame Naida Glavish Photo: RNZ / Leigh-Marama McLachlan
Iwi Chairs Forum member Dame Naida Glavish described him as a legend of Māoridom and deserving of the Te Whare Pūkenga Award.
The award was established in 2021 to recognise rangatira who have enhanced the lives of all whānau in Aotearoa.
"His love of being Māori, his love of reo Māori. Everything was, in his thinking, Māori to Māori for Māori," Dame Naida said.
She attended the ceremony at Raukawa Marae in Ōtaki.
"It had to be authentic and there had to be pride in being Māori right up through all his life, through his teachings, his establishment of the wānanga. His day proved all that with the numbers that arrived to celebrate his receiving that award."
Dame Naida said hundreds turned out to celebrate Winiata: "There were all different ages there on the marae. It made him extremely happy."
Sir Hirini Moko Mead described Winiata as "a leading thinker of the Māori world, and of te ao Pākehā as well.
"Someone who set out to improve the wellbeing of Māori in this country, to enlarge spaces where Māori can be Māori, to decolonise our people and work towards being culturally competent and confident as Māori citizens of our country."