November 01, 2022
Whānau out in force to mourn Terry Ryan
Thousands of people have been through Rehua Marae in Christchurch to celebrate the life of Terry Ryan, who died last week aged 81.
Russell Caldwell, a former colleague of Mr Ryan in the Ngāi Tahu whakapapa unit, says the tangi heard of his contributions over more than half a century as a public servant, parliamentary private secretary to the late Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan, kapa haka organiser and go-to person for questions on Ngāi Tahu genealogy.
His connection with the marae started in 1996 as a trade training officer and managing the Methodist Maori Mission’s apprentice hostels.
“Every Māori family nearly has some connection with Terry. The paepae was constantly in action – thousands of people arriving – and his contribution stretched much wider than to our iwi but across the whole of the Maori community here in Ōtautahi,” Mr Caldwell says
While Terry Ryan supported many Māori kaupapa in Te Waipounamu, he was also proud of his Nova Scotian and Scottish roots in the Northland settlement of Waipū.
A service for Terry Ryan will be held at the Waipū Presbyterian Church at 1.30pm tomorrow, to be followed by interment at Waipū Cemetery.