There's mourning in Kāwhia and Murupara for former Waikato Tainui executive chair Kingi Porima, who died yesterday.

From Ngāti Hikairo in Kāwhia, Mr Porima left in his teens to work in the Kaingaroa Forest, where he met his wife Sophie.

Waikato Tainui spokesperson Rahui Papa says he worked his way up the ranks at New Zealand Forest Products, becoming part of management as well as the compnmay's tikanga expert, and he also immersed himself in the affairs of the local Māori community, instigating health and education projects.

He became a member of the Tainui Māori Trust Board just before the 1995 Raupatu Settlement.

"(He was) one of the original directors of Tainui Group Holdings and went on to become chair of Tekaumārua, the executive of the time. He fostered and mentored quite a number of people to come through the ranks and take their places on the tribal governance entities," Mr Papa says.

Kingi Porima was also a keen golfer and the patron of New Zealand Maori Golf.

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