Albert Puhirake Ihaka has been made an Officer of NZ Order of Merit for services to Māori and Governance. Photo / Tessa Chrisp Photography
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Carmen Hall is a communications adviser for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust and a former Bay of Plenty Times journalist.
When Tauranga’s Puhirake Ihaka received a celebratory email to say he would be acknowledged in the 2025 New Year Honours list, he thought it was a “scam or joke”.
“I was thinking, is this for real?”
The Ngāi Te Rangi kaumātua and long-standing leader made some calls for confirmation before his worry turned into shock.
“I was really surprised, to be honest.”
Humble by nature, the 76-year-old has an impressive portfolio but is quick to point out that his passion stems from a desire to help Māori and “our people”.
He does not like to dwell on accolades.
But a snapshot shows he has represented Ngāti Tapu on Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust for 24 years.
He undertook extensive research in the preparation of its Waitangi Tribunal Treaty claims and provided leadership throughout the negotiation process.
His appointments include the Ngāi Te Rangi Settlement Trust and Fisheries Trust, being a foundation member of the Tauranga City Council Tangata Whenua Collective, where he served as the independent chairman for 12 years, and being an Elms Foundation Board of Trustees member.
Ihaka was a member of the collective instrumental in the establishment of Tauranga City Council’s Māori Relationship Unit and the establishment of a Māori ward. He is chairman of Otamataha Trust, a director of Te Kawai Taumata, Waikari Marae kaumātua and past director of the National Iwi Collective Partnership (commercial iwi fisheries).
He is also a life member of Māori education trust Te Matahauariki O Tauranga Moana, where he held chairman and trustee roles before retiring in 2022.
“That is only half of it,” he says with a laugh. “I think I wore about 10 chair hats at one stage.”
Brought up in Auckland in a Pākehā environment, Ihaka has a post-graduate degree in engineering. In the early stages of his career, he worked for many notable companies and then started his own consultancy business.
However, he yearned for Tauranga Moana and in 1995 he packed up everything and returned home with his family.
That move back to whānau and his uncle and aunties signalled the beginning of a new era for Ihaka as he learned te reo Māori and became heavily involved with his marae, hapū and iwi.
He also embraced and became known by his Māori tipuna’s name – Puhirake – on the advice of his uncle, as Rawiri Puhirake was a notable Ngai Te Rangi war chief who led Māori at the battles of Gate Pa and Te Ranga, where he lost his life in 1864.
“At the time I was part of that drift of urban Māori who were educated and grew up in the big cities and then went back to their roots and tūrangawaewae.”
Ihaka said those people bought back their own knowledge and professional skills and he felt blessed to put his expertise to good use.
As a consequence, he had many battles with democracy.
“I represented tangata whenua in the consultation process with council regarding issues around consenting, compliance, regulations and policies.
“I used to do a lot of advocacy with our people engaging with council on resource consents and that sort of thing. I could engage with them on a very equal footing.
“I could move well in both worlds.”
Ihaka fondly remembers spending the first few years after his homecoming building his dream home and learning all about his tikanga Māori and whakapapa from his kaumātua and kuia. This eventually led to his working for the iwi and his first job was writing the Ngāi te Rangi newsletter.
The rest snowballed as he went from not knowing much about the Treaty of Waitangi to helping spearhead settlement claims processes for his hapū and Ngāi Te Rangi, while taking on more positions in the community.
Being made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and governance was a proud moment and he wants to acknowledge and thank the tupuna who walked before him – and to leave a legacy for the next generations to follow.
“Being able to give back to my whānau, hapū, and iwi has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.”
“Ko te Manawa Rere Kia u, Kia u. Trembling hearts stand firm, stand firm” – the war cry of Rawiri Puhirake.
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