July 01, 2013
Maureen Waaka a woman of strength
A nephew of the late Rotorua District Councillor Maureen Waaka says she was a woman of immense strength and fortitude who did a huge amount for the people of Rotorua and for Māori.
Mrs Kingi, of Te Arawa and Tuwharetoa descent, died this morning in Rotorua, two weeks after suffering a stroke.
Julian Wilcox, the head of news and current affairs at Māori Television, says his aunt’s death has come as a shock to the whānau.
He says Mrs Waaka, then Maureen Kingi, came to national attention by winning the Miss New Zealand crown in 1962.
But she will also be remembered for her contributions to business, tourism and the community, particularly through the 18 years she spent on the Rotorua District Council.
"She was a big opponent of the proposed casino in Rotorua. She had a lot to do with (Māori Party MP) Te Ururoa Flavell's gambling bill and was on the phone while she was in hospital talking to Te Ururoa and giving instructions and the like. A very proud Te Arawa, Tuwharetoa daughter, a very proud Rotorua citizen and one who gave a lot of her life to the people of Te Arawa and Rotorua," Mr Wilcox says.
The tangi for Maureen Waaka is at Te Papaiouru Marae in Ohinemutu, Rotorua.
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