Waiariki Maori are mourning the death of a kuia influential in establishing kohanga reo in the Bay of Plenty.
Te Teko kaumatua Mere Moses, 81, died while attending an urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing in Wellington on Monday.
Mrs Moses and a large number of supporters were at the Te Kohanga
Reo National Trust's office attending the hearing. She collapsed outside the office and later died in hospital.
Te Runanga o Ngati Awa's deputy chairman Pouroto Ngaropo said Mrs Moses died supporting the cause she was passionate about.
Mrs Moses was an influential kaumatua for Ngati Awa and her hapu of Nga Maihi in Te Teko, Mr Ngaropo said. She established the Te Teko Kohanga Reo and was supportive of the other kohanga reo and Te Teko School. Mr Ngaropo said she was active in her community and was seen as the main kaikaranga (caller) for Te Teko.
"She was a beautiful kaikaranga."
She and her husband, Eric, were active in the runanga and both were members of the Ngati Awa Kaumatua Council, and helped Ngati Awa during its Waitangi Tribunal settlement.
Mr Ngaropo said it was a great loss for Ngati Awa and he paid tribute to Mrs Moses by referring to her as a sentinel rock "whose legacy to kohanga reo, her whanau, hapu and iwi will always be remembered".
Mrs Moses is lying in state at Tuteao Marae, Te Teko and her funeral will be at 11am tomorrow. Mrs Moses is survived by her husband and "lots of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren".
The Waitangi Tribunal is hearing the kohanga reo trust's claim the Crown has treated kohanga reo like an early childhood education provider and has not provided adequate funding and resources.
