January 25, 2023
Titewhai Harawira fought for vision of tūpuna
Ngāti Whātūa leader Dame Naida Glavish says the late Titewhai Harawira was a fighter for the vision of her tūpuna who signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The Ngāpuhi veteran activist has died aged 90.
Dame Naida says over the years she found herself in agreement with most of Mrs Harawira’s actions, including blocking Helen Clark from speaking on the Waitangi Marae.
She viewed everything from a Māori position and acted not for herself but for those behind her.
“She was a freedom fighter for the pono and the tika according to the psyche of our tupuna when they signed te Tiriti o Waitangi and those signatures weren’t individuals, they were on behalf of, so the mana was a collective mana,” Dame Naida says.
Titewhai Harawira’s son Hone Harawira says his mother will lay at her home in Avondale tonight before going to Hoani Waititi Marae in Henderson on Wednesday.
She will be returned to Taitokerau for burial.