Elder's death shock for family and iwi

Arapeta Tahana wanted to see Maori succeed and achieve in tertiary education. Photo / Daily Post

Te Arawa leader Arapeta Tahana has died suddenly.

The 64-year-old is believed to have had a heart attack on Wednesday afternoon while exercising at a gym.

Mr Tahana was Te Arawa Maori Trust Board chairman for eight years and spearheaded Rotorua's $10 million lakes settlement.

He was also a former chief executive of the then Waiariki Polytechnic.

Son-in-law Tim Worrall said the family were devastated.

"In many ways Arapeta was just hitting the next stage of his life in a wiser leadership role," he said.

"He was spending more time with his family and enjoying life and taking quieter roles within the community."

Mr Worrall said his father-in-law had suffered a previous heart attack and was due to have tests.

Ngati Pikiao kaumatua and childhood friend Toby Curtis remembered a man who gave everything for his people.

"He was very capable, very articulate and a superb scholar. He was one of the few who achieved first-class honours at Auckland University."

Mr Tahana was chief of the Waiariki Polytechnic for seven years before his controversial departure in 1997.

He threatened court action when his contract was not renewed. After a six-year dispute, the parties made an out-of-court settlement.

In October 2003 he was given a formal apology from Waiariki at the institute's Tangatarua Marae.

Kaumatua Ken Kennedy of the Waiariki Institute of Technology, as it is now known, said Mr Tahana's death, so soon after Sir Howard Morrison's death, was another loss for Te Arawa.

"Arapeta will be hugely missed by Te Arawa. His contribution in the provision of tertiary education was not only to Te Arawa, but to the whole of the Waiariki region, which included Mataatua, Te Arawa and Ngati Raukawa of Tainui.

"He knew that education was most important to Maori. He had a passion for wanting to see Maori succeed and achieve in tertiary education."

Mr Kennedy said Mr Tahana played an important role in the building of a marae on the campus.

Mr Tahana had dedicated himself to supporting the advancement of his iwi, Mr Kennedy said.

Waiariki's head of Maori Development Foundation and Languages, John Merito, described Mr Tahana as a "pioneer and a true visionary".

"He was the type of man who would get initiatives off the ground and established, running smoothly, then he would move on to the next project."

Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa chairman Eru George said Mr Tahana was instrumental in the return of the 13 lakes to Te Arawa.

The Treaty package included a Crown apology and annuity and redress of $10 million.

Mr Tahana resigned as chairman of Te Arawa Maori Trust Board in December 2003, just after the board accepted the Crown's lakes settlement offer.

He was also a justice of the peace working for the Disputes Tribunal and was chairman of Poutiri Trust, a Maori health organisation.

Mr Tahana is survived by his wife, Sue, his children and grandchildren.