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Iwi Loses Staunch Leader Rill (Riwai) Meihana
Iwi Loses Staunch Leader Rill (Riwai) Meihana
It is with regret that we announce the sudden passing of our Board Deputy Chairperson, Mr Rill (Riwai) Meihana. Rill passed away at his home in Nuhaka this morning.
Rill (Riwai) Meihana was the loving husband of Larraine Meihana and proud father of Dr. Suzanne Pitama and Denal Meihana. Rill has four beautiful grandchildren and three great grandchildren who he and Larraine absolutly adore.
Rill was the Chairman of the Wairoa Taiwhenua and also represented Te Wairoa on the Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Board in his third term (8th year), the past six years as Deputy Chairperson.
Under his leadership, the Wairoa Taiwhenua Board supported grants to Wairoa Marae, funding for local events, financial sponsorship to Iron Māori participants, assistance for tamarki to travel to the Kahungunu AGM Pā Sports at Splash Planet and Rill was responsible for finding putea to assist rangatahi initiatives and their environmental work in the Wairoa community.
He was passionate about his community and represented whānau/hapū iwi on a number of local and regional committees including, Ngāti Rangi hapū, Wairoa Alcohol and Drug Day Counselling Services, Te Poho o Te Rehu Marae, Nuhaka Māori Tribal Committee, Aramatua Farm Corporation, Kahungunu Marae Committee, Wairoa Hospital Select Committee, Rakipaaka hapū Treaty Claims Committee and the Ngāti Rangi Mautoki Treaty Claims Committee. Rill and his wife Larraine, managed a Child Youth and Family Home in Wairoa for 17 ½ years where Rill learned many important values about protecting the needs of his people.
As a community person Rill aspired to promoting and strengthening pathways to healthy lifestyles and he tried his best to advocate for and in behalf of whānau/hapū iwi.
“Rill was a staunch advocate for Kahungunu and ‘an abrupt to the point leader’ who maintained the mana of Kahungunu 24/7” says Ngahiwi Tomoana. “He was my Deputy Chairman for the past 8 years”. “I will miss him”
Rill is going to Te Poho o Te Rehu Marae at 6pm tonight (Tuesday)
On
Wednesday 15th November Rill will be taken to Kahungunu
Marae where he will remain until his final service on Friday
17 November 2017.
Final Service (Nehu) - 11 AM, Friday 17 November 2017.
Latter Day Saint Chapel, Nuhaka (State Highway 2.
ENDS
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