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September 05, 2023
Rangatiratanga a trust for Tūhoe leader Paki Nikora
Adam Gifford
Posted On September 5, 2023
Ngai Tūhoe has lost a leader who put issues of tikanga and rangatiratanga to the fore in the post-settlement environment.
Paki Nikora, who died yesterday at the age of 83, oversaw the transformation of the Tataiwhetu Trust farm near Ruatoki into an organic dairy farm which won the Ahuwhenua Trophy in 2021.
He also fought what he saw as over-reach and departures from tikanga by Te Uru Taumatua, Tuhoe’s post-settlement governance entity.
He organised for 11 marae to get renovated with help from the Provincial Growth Fund, and he also led a high court challenge to Te Uru Taumatua elections.
His lawyer, Paul Harman, says the final appeal in that case will be heard by the Supreme Court early in the new year.
He says as lead plaintiff, Mr Nikora’s deep knowledge of tikanga had great evidential value.
As he said in an affadavit, he saw the exercise of rangatiratanga as equating to the exercise of trust obligations.
The tangihanga for Paki Leslie Māngai Nikora is at Tauarau Marae, in Ruātoki with the nehu on Thursday at 11 am.
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