March 04, 2019
Tuhoe kuia led call for national museum
FULL INTERVIEW WITH ARAPATA HAKIWAI CLICK HERE
Flags have been flying at half mast at Te Papa Tongarewa to mark the death of long serving staffer Hema Temara at the age of 71.
Kaihautu Arapata Hakiwai says Mrs Temara started with the national museum in 1992 and worked at Te Papa for 25 years.
As well as being a strong contrinbuter to Māori life in Te Whanganui a Tara, including her support of Victoria University's Te Tumu Herenga Waka Marae and the kapa haka Tū Te Maungaroa she started with husband Pou Temara, she was a staunch defender of tikanga and te reo Māori in the museum context.
"She was the reo karanga on our marae at Te Papa, she was reo karanga of Whanganui a Tara, Te Upoko o Te Ika. She was te reo tohutohu and really looked after us, shared her knowledge. She welcomed kings and queens, premiers and dignataries over the last 25 years and she did that with manaakitanga and strength. She looked after us," Mr Hakiwai says.
Te Hēmanawa Olive Temara was returned to her Ngati Rongo and Tuhoe people in Ruatoki.
Copyright © 2019, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com