26 May 2006

The passing of Anne Anituatua Delamere, QSO

E te kuia, haere ki to iwi, haere ki o tatou tupuna, haere ki to whanau. Haere ki te Kainga tuturu mo te tangata. Kikini hae hae, Aue! Taukuri E!

The passing of the cherished kuia, Anne Anituatua Delamere, QSO, Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit; has been sadly noted by the Maori Party today.

"Anne was loved by us all" said Tariana Turia, co-leader of the Maori Party. "She was known as a strong and fearless social visionary, someone who made a huge difference to our community, yet was always distinctive for her grace and elegant dignity".

"She was also never afraid to challenge" said Mrs Turia. "I remember her telling us at a hui in Whanganui, that one of the greatest barriers to our progress, would be the capacity of people to put one another down. She would say "don't be like the crabs crawling over each in the pot; support one another, uplift another, so that we can all achieve".

"She had that beautiful spirit of generosity" recalled Mrs Turia. "She would write me little notes, just to express her tautoko. That support would always be so uplifting - and seemed to come just at the times you needed it most".

"We have all admired the devoted commitment of this gentle kuia" stated Dr Pita Sharples, co-leader of the Maori Party. "Her energy literally took your breath away - she worked tirelessly for her people, particularly in health, education and social justice areas".

Among some of the organisations that Anne played a key role were: o Maori Education Trust o Pacifica o New Zealand Planning Council o Wellington TB Association o Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health o Community Health Initiative Funding Scheme o Te Puawai Tapu, Maori Sexual and Reproductive health; o Ministry of Women's Affairs o Prison Chaplains Advisory Committee o Age Concern o Advisory Council for Senior Citizens o Sergeant with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) until 1950.

"Anne was a life member of the Maori Women's Welfare League, having helped to establish it in 1951" said Tariana Turia. "She also engendered my highest respect for her considerable skills and experience as a social worker, being one of the first Maori welfare officers to gain a Diploma in Social Science in 1958".

"Young people and education were Anne's particular passion" stated Tariana Turia. "She was a long-serving welfare worker and many young people resident in Wellington would have come under her influence at Pendennis House and in the greater community. She enjoyed the energy of young people, and had great love for them all" stated Mrs Turia.

"She was a very cultured woman, appreciating the talents and beauty of ballet and opera as much as she did moteatea and kapa haka" added Dr Sharples. "She was a woman who embraced many worlds with ease and comfort".

"Our love and deepest sorrow is shared with her whanau of Te Whanau-a-Apanui and Te Arawa" stated Dr Sharples. "She will be greatly missed in Wellington, at home, and right throughout the motu for her leadership, her love and her inspiration".

ENDS

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