Te Ātiawa leader Kara Puketapu dies aged 89

Dr Ihakara (Kara) Porutu Puketapu has died aged 89. Photo / Te Ao Māori News

Te Ātiawa kaumātua and Lower Hutt community leader Dr Ihakara (Kara) Porutu Puketapu has died aged 89.

Born and raised in Waiwhetū, Lower Hutt, he became dux and head prefect at Wellington Technical College.

After leaving school, Puketapu worked for government departments including Internal Affairs, Māori Affairs, Child Welfare and Social Security.

After graduating from Victoria University and taking up a scholarship at the University of New Mexico in the US, where he studied cultural anthropology and doctoral research on “Pueblo: Indian Community Development”, he rose through the ranks of the civil service to become the secretary of Māori Affairs from 1977 to 1982.

During this time he influenced a new direction within the department, encouraging Māori development, particularly for Māori in urban areas. He established “kōkiri” units, notably in the Wellington region, to work directly with communities to support cultural and economic ambitions. One of those units led to the creation of the Kōhanga Reo movement, with the opening of the country’s first Kōhanga Reo at Wainuiomata in 1982.

International and sporting roles

His tenure at Māori Affairs coincided with his chairmanship of the Te Māori exhibition management committee that oversaw the first international tour of taonga Māori.

He was also a leader of his Te Ātiawa iwi in Wellington, for a time as its chairman. The Te Ātiawa rūnanga established a primary health organisation in the Waiwhetū area and Atiawa Toa FM radio station under his watch.

A keen sportsman, Puketapu was also a Māori All Black in the 1950s. He would eventually become a top coach in rugby league, leading the Wainuiomata Lions to national club championships in 1990 and 1992 and helping to launch the career of future Canberra Raiders legend Johnny Lomax. He also coached the Hutt Valley Hawks in 1995 in the Lion Red Cup competition.

Teaomaori.news understands Kara Puketapu will be taken to Waiwhetū Marae on Saturday afternoon where he will lie in state until his burial at Wainuiomata on Tuesday.