April 18, 2023
Kahungunu leader JB Heperi-Smith had big heart for iwi
Ngāti Kahungunu today make their final poroporoaki for board member and former deputy chair John Barry (J.B.) Heperi-Smith.
Me Heperi-Smith died on Friday, aged 58, and was taken to Rākautātahi Marae in Takapau, where his nehu is being held today.
Rūnanga chair Bayden Barber says he held many roles in te ao Māori including chairing his marae and taiwhenua and leading several kapa haka to Te Matatini, including Tamatea Arikinui and Wairoa’s Te Rerenga Kōtuku.
He’s a former teacher at Te Aute College and in recent years worked in a number of mental health and community health roles for Hawke’s Bay District Health Board before taking a senior role in the health reforms.
“JB was a top man, close friend, big heart, big smile, he would do anything for anyone and he had a big love for the work of his people whether that be his marae, his hapū, his taiwhenua in Tamatea or his iwi in Kahungunu,” Mr Barber says.