Mei Whaitiri, the woman who became the model for the casting of Napier’s iconic Pania of the Reef statue, has died age 86.
Whaitiri was just a student of Hukarere Māori Girls when photographs of her in a piupiu and her mother’s greenstone hei tiki would be used by an Italian marble company in the process of creating the 60kg bronze statue.
According to local lore, Pania was a beautiful young girl who lived in the sea. By day, she swam with other sea creatures but at dusk would return to a stream in the bay where the city of Napier has been built.
Daughter and former politician Meka Whaitiri wrote in a social media post that their hearts were “shattered”, paying tribute to a beloved mum, nan and “nanny ma”.
“E kui hoki atu ki ō matua tīpuna – waiho mai mātou ki te whenua kia tangi noa nei, kia auē nei, kia waipuke te whenua nei i ngā tini roimata mōu.
“(Nan, return to your ancestors — leave us to mourn here, to grieve, to flood the land with tears at your loss.)”
The post went on to explain that she “passed away peacefully” this morning surrounded by whānau.
Her tangihanga will take place at Kohupātiki Marae in Clive, Hawke’s Bay, from Friday, with a final service on Sunday.
