OFFICE OF THE KIINGITANGA

PRESS STATEMENT
The Passing of the Hon Koro Wetere

Sunday, 24 June 2018

E Koro, kei te puhi o Maniapoto whaia te pō kumea ki Te Au-tere-nā te ara ki Te Hono-i-wairua. E tae koe ki te Toi-o-ngaa-rangi ki konaa e rongo ai koe ki te tangi o taku pouri moou, otiraa moo koutou ngaku koroheke, ngaku ruruhi ka ngaro nei i te aroaro o te Kiingitanga e moe e.

HM King Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero te Tuawhitu mourns the passing of Koro Wētere - a long-time confidant, adviser and leader within the Kiingitanga and the Whare Ariki (Royal Households).

Hearing of Mr Wētere’s passing, King Tuheitia expressed his sorrow, sending his condolences to Mr Wētere’s whanau and to the people of Ngāti Maniapoto for their loss.

King Tuheitia said Mr Wētere spent his whole life committed to Maori development and considerably strengthened the Kiingitanga’s relationship with the Government of the day. He worked hard for Waikato-Tainui over several decades, including being a central figure in the 1995 Tainui settlement and holding several leadership roles for the Iwi.

Hon Koro Tainui Wētere CBE was Minister for Maori Affairs from 1984 to 1990 overseeing several significant legislative advances for Maoridom. He served as the MP for Western Maori for 27 years until retiring in 1996. He a was also a key proponent of te reo Māori, helping to ensure it became an official language of New Zealand.

During the reigns of the late King Korokī, the late Dame Te Ātairangikaahu and King Tuheitia, Mr Wētere was a prominent speaker on the paepae. He was among the first to be honoured for his work within the Kiingitanga when King Tuheitia conferred on Koro Wētere, the Order of the Taniwha in its first class.

He was born at Oparure near Te Kuiti in the King Country and passed away in Te Kuiti one day after his 83rd birthday. Yesterday Mr Wētere was taken to Turangawaewae Marae.

ENDS

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