Sir Pou Temara, a scholar and champion for Māori language and culture, has died at the age of 78.
Temara, whose full name was William Te Rangiua Temara, served as a professor, author, activist and founder of Te Panekiretanga o te Reo academy, and dedicated his life to the preservation and revitalisation of Māori traditions and language in Aotearoa.
Māori news outlet Pūkāea reported his death on Sunday morning, saying he was with family at the time of his passing.
"E te iwi e, ko te toki o aituā kai tangata kua tau ki runga i a Tā William Te Rangiua Pou Temara.
"Nō ngā hāora tata nei i moe ai ngā kanohi i roto i te āhuru o tōnā rangatira, o Lady Lenadeen, me te whānau."
"We mourn the passing of Sir William Te Rangiua Pou Temara," it said.
"Tā Pou passed peacefully, surrounded by his wife, Lady Lenadeen, and whānau by his side."
Temara created Te Panekiretanga o te Reo - a Māori language academy - alongside Sir Tīmoti Kāretu and the late Dr Te Wharehuia Milroy in hopes of revitalising the Māori language.
Established in 2004, the academy taught advanced Māori language, whaikōrero, karanga and tikanga for 15 years.
Born in 1948, Sir Pou Temara grew up at a time when Māori was discouraged from being spoken in schools and New Zealand society.
His experiences as a child shaped his decision to save his culture and strengthen Māori language across the country.
Although he was best known for his work with maintaining the presence of Māori language, Temara's legacy extended beyond that of education.
A leader of Ngāi Tūhoe and a member of the Waitangi Tribunal, Sir Pou Temara's influence extended across Māori cultural life, where he was widely regarded as a leader, mentor and advocate.
Pūkāea reported that tangi arrangements would be made public in due course.
Pūkāea shared the following in tribute to Sir Pou Temara:
Takiari mai te rātā kāhikahika i taku whenuapua
Ko ngā rau o te maro o Tāne kua whatia noa mai
Kua taka te kahiwi taikura ki raro, pūrikiriki mai ai
Kei hea taku wai kaihua hei kai mā te pōkai manu
Kei hea he taunga mō te rārangi tahi kua pōkaikaha nei
Haere rā e te huia ariki
I te kāhekoheko kāpuhi
Haere ki tua
Engari waihotia mai ko tō marereko
Hei kōtore raukura mō tō iwi
English translation
The crashing sound of the falling scarlet rātā echoes through the night across my abundant lands
The leaves of Tāne’s loincloth lie broken and scattered
The heartwood of the tree has been cast down and shattered into pieces
Where now is the sweet nectar that once nourished the many flocks
Where is the perch for the multitudes, now left scattered and in disarray
Farewell, my noble huia
From your lofty perch among the treetops
Take flight beyond the heavens
But leave behind the splendour of your tail feathers
As a sacred headdress for your people
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