Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi, who spearheaded the Kōhanga Reo movement and helped thousands grow up immersed in te reo Māori, has died at the age of 95.
Tāwhiwhirangi (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāpuhi) passed away peacefully on Saturday surrounded by whānau at home.
“She challenged the status quo and pushed for better outcomes for whanau,” Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust said in a statement.
Born in Hicks Bay, Gisborne in 1929, Tāwhiwhirangi became involved in the kōhanga reo movement in the 1980s when there was growing concern around the state of te reo Māori — with less than 5% of Māori school children fluent in their mother tongue.
Today, there are more than 460 kōhanga reo centres across New Zealand.
“She worked tirelessly to strengthen whānau and she was adamant that whānau knew what was best for them, and that they only needed to be empowered and enabled to do so,” said a statement from Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust.
“We as a whānau are very much aware of the importance of our mother and grandmother to the motu, and we would like to thank all those who have sent love over the past few weeks.”
Tāwhiwhirangi was made a Dame Companion in 2009 for her services to Māori education.
Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae in Gisborne will be open on Tuesday and Wednesday for the public to pay their respects. Tāwhiwhirangi will then be moved to Rahui Marae in Tikitiki where a final service will be held at 11am on Friday.
