Revered Māori chief Sir Wira Gardiner dies aged 78

One in all Māoridom’s most revered figures, Sir Wira Gardiner, has died aged 78.

Gardiner (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pikiao, Whakatōhea, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) was a soldier who went on to turn out to be a celebrated public servant, serving as a founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal.

He died at house together with his household in Gisborne, a household assertion mentioned.

“In accordance together with his specific want that public well being be prioritised, and the calls for on frontline employees be recognised, there shall be no tangihanga for Wira on the marae,” the assertion mentioned.

“At a while sooner or later, when our nation is restored to atypical life, we are going to collect to mark Wira’s passing, acknowledge his contribution, and have a good time a very good life nicely lived.”

His household thanked employees at Whakatāne’s Kathleen Kilgour Centre, which offers radiation therapy for most cancers sufferers.

Born in Whakatāne, Gardiner was educated at Whakatāne Excessive College, Canterbury College and King’s School, London.

In October final yr, Gardiner stepped down as Oranga Tamariki’s performing chief govt, after taking greater than a month of medical depart.

He had taken the function in February after embattled chief govt Gráinne Moss stepped down.

His appointment adopted months of scrutiny over the company’s controversial apply of “uplifting” predominantly Māori infants into state care.

Gardiner had served within the military and went on to carry a number of management roles as a public servant, together with a founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal, founding head of the Iwi Transition Company and founding CEO of Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Improvement.

The seventy-eight-year-old additionally chaired the Tertiary Schooling Fee, Te Papa museum’s board and the Native Authorities Fee, in addition to holding senior positions.

He was additionally a revered Crown facilitator and treaty negotiator.

In November final yr he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the College of Waikato.

The creator of seven books spanning a variety of subjects together with haka, the Māori Battalion and political biography, he was made a Knight of the New Zealand Order of Benefit in 2009 for his contribution and providers to Māori.

Again in 2019, the previous skilled soldier printed a ebook referred to as Ake Ake Kia Kaha E! Ceaselessly Courageous.

“That is most likely the largest however the best ebook I’ve ever needed to write. I by no means had author’s block or moments of doubt and my pen simply saved flowing, nicely metaphorically,” Gardiner mentioned on the time.

In Could 2016, he travelled to Greece and Crete to go to battle websites the place the NZ Division fought in April and Could 1941, matching the idea from his ebook with the precise areas of the battles.

He was raised by te reo talking mother and father in Rotoiti however didn’t study the language till aged in his 40s. He later spoke candidly concerning the problem and significance of mastering the language.

“My hapa, or my sins, have been quite a few, however the listeners, though you would see them screwing their faces up, nonetheless they paid me the tribute of not saying ‘E noho ki raro, kāti ki te waha – sit down and shut up’,” he advised The Spinoff in December final yr.

Gardiner is survived by his spouse, former Nationwide MP Hekia Parata. The couple had two youngsters.

He additionally had three different youngsters from his earlier marriage to former MP Pauline Gardiner, together with movie producer Ainsley Gardiner. He was additionally koro to many mokopuna.