Dignitaries arrive at Sir Hugh Kawharu's tangi

Prime Minister Helen Clark has been welcomed on to Orakei Marae in Auckland to farewell Maori leader Sir Hugh Kawharu.

Sir Hugh, a distinguished academic, paramount chief of Auckland's Ngati Whatua iwi and a recipient of the Order of New Zealand, died at his home in Auckland on Monday, aged 79.

His body is lying in state at Orakei before his funeral at 9am Saturday. He will be buried at Rewiti Marae, about 35km northwest of downtown Auckland.

The prime minister and a delegation of 200 dignitaries was welcomed on to the marae by 50 Ngatu Whatua tribal members, performing a haka, around 8.30am today.

Among the group were the mayors of Auckland and Manukau, Dick Hubbard and Sir Barry Curtis, as well as former Governor-General Sir Paul Reeves and Maori leader, the Venerable Dr Hone Kaa.

Another major group of Tuhoe and Ngati Porou mourners is expected to arrive at the marae at lunchtime.

A Ngati Whatua spokesman Piripi Menary said some 1800 people paid their respects yesterday and more are expected today.

Sir Hugh was a noted Maori leader and academic.

He spent five years with the Department of Maori Affairs before a glittering academic career in Maori studies and social anthropology at Massey and Auckland universities.

He had been chairman of Ngati Whatua's Orakei Trust Board since 1978 and of the Orakei Reserves Board since its 1992 establishment and was also involved in the creation of Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua, a unifying body for the tribe.

He was knighted in 1989 and was appointed to the Order of New Zealand (ONZ), the nation's highest honour, one held by only about 20 citizens, in 2002

- Additional reporting NZPA