2022 in review: Great Māori leaders we've lost

He kura tangihia, he maimai aroha - te ao Māori lost many of its leaders this year who have left behind legacies in the world of kapa haka, public service, law, and social housing.

Te Karere looks back at the biggest losses for Māori and just as the year began, our first star was lost.

Described by many as a revered leader in Māori performing arts, in recent years Muriwai Ihakara took his group Te Hikuwai to the national Te Matatini kapa haka competitions, and served as a judge for the competitions for several years.

Ihakara also made contributions in public and iwi service, representing government entities on behalf of his iwi, Ngāti Pikiao.

Ihakara died aged 63 and returned to Te Waiiti marae in Rotoiti, Bay of Plenty.

Many of our Māori leaders were lost during the month of March, beginning with the death of Tā Wira Gardiner.

Gardiner left an outstanding legacy in the public service sector, becoming the founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal, as well as the interim chief executive of the Māori Development Ministry, Te Puni Kōkiri. He was also an author, writing books related to Māori history.

He died at his home in Te Tairāwhiti following a long illness. In a Covid-delayed memorial service held in Wellington in November, his widow, Hekia Parata, described him as an awesome best friend and partner.

"I loved him with all my heart... we loved him, and we miss him every day," she said.

Two stalwarts within the Jackson family were also farewelled during this time – Kahurangi June Jackson and Tākuta Moana Jackson.

Dame June was a fierce advocate for Māori living in urban areas, working hard to establish the Manukau Urban Māori Authority in 1986, a contingent of pan-tribal organisations across Aotearoa working together to provide better outcomes for urban Māori.

Tākuta Moana Jackson was a champion force in te ao Māori and indigenous rights. Best described by Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana as a quiet and humble man, the work he did within the law sector was anything but.

Among many other achievements, the academic and author led research during the 1980s into Māori within the criminal justice system, highlighting the colonial impacts and institutionalised racism experienced by Māori at the time.

Dame June was taken back to Ngā Whare Waatea Marae in Tāmaki Makaurau, the community she helped build, while Moana returned to his haukainga at Matahiwi Marae, Hawke's Bay.

Andrew Robb was a key ally in Pākehā-Māori relations. Being Pākehā himself, Robb began his reo Māori journey at Victoria University of Wellington in 1974, making a significant contribution to the WAI11 te reo Māori claim as a member of Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i te reo.

Te ao Māori also lost another important figure during this time, Bastion Point occupation leader Joe Hawke.

He formed the Ōrākei Māori Action Committee in 1976, who safeguarded the land on Takaparawhau (Bastion Point) from being subdivided into a private housing development.

Hawke's niece, Precious Clark, remembered him as a kind, generous man who led the occupation peacefully.

"He was a man who stood against great adversity for a purpose that he believed in and that was the return of our beautiful whenua taurikura, our precious land here at Takaparawhau."

Derek Wooster was a pioneering Māori broadcaster, spending most of his time at Te Reo Tātaki TVNZ, where he worked in various roles.

Wooster spearheaded the creation of Māori current affairs programme Marae, a show which is still running today.

He died aged 77 and was returned to his haukainga at Te Kauae Marae, Hangatiki.

Further north, iwi of Te Tai Tokerau mourned the loss of their community leader, Ricky Houghton.

Houghton worked tirelessly in the Northland region to improve the lives of his people. His advocacy within the welfare sector earned him New Zealand's community hero award in 2018.

Yet another great Te Arawa leader was lost in August, Sir Toby Curtis.

Sir Toby left a long-lasting legacy within the education sector, leading Hato Petera College as principal before moving to tertiary education, where he rose to faculty dean and deputy vice-chancellor at Auckland University of Technology (formerly known as AIT).

In September, our dearest treaty partner was lost.

Queen Elizabeth II died in September, after serving 70 years on the throne.

In an interview with our own Māori queen, the late Dame Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu on her 25th anniversary in 1991, she mentioned how she spontaneously led Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh into Mahinaarangi whare in 1953.

"The Prime Minister of the time wasn't too happy, because they were only scheduled here [Tuurangawaewae] for seven minutes.

"The people just erupted with joy when they made their way into the house."

Kei ngā rangatira i hāpai nei i to tātou ao Māori, haere rā, whakangaro atu rā.