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September 25, 2023
Thirst for matauranga seen early in Hohepa household
Adam Gifford
Posted On September 25, 2023
A Hokianga elder says the death of Tā Patu Hohepa means a kete mātauranga has been lost.
The 87-year-old scholar and activist died at his Hokianga home on Friday and was buried today by his Te Mahurehure people.
Rereata Makiha says during the tangi many manuhiri talked of the korero tuku iho he had shared with them and spoke some of the ancient kupu he passed on.
He says within the hapu his thirst for knowledge was legendary.
“Our dad he used to tell us that when he was a kid at the table, they will say “E Patu hōmai te pata,” and then he’d be still reading in a face in his book reading his book and his other hand was reaching out to find the butter he was that type of guy, right from almost from birth, the diligence in doing research, and reading and reading and just capturing everything that he could,” Mr Makiha says.
Today was the rā nehu, kā takoto ia ki te taha ō wōna mātua tūpuna ki te `wāhi tapu ō Okahumatamomoe in Waimā.
Ngā manaakitanga nui ki a tātou katoa.
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