He Rau Aroha
He Kauri o te wao tapunui kua hinga, he paikea kua pai ki uta, ko te takere te waka tēnei kua whati. E kui e, e kui e Titewhai, haere moe mai. Anei ngā hua o āunga mahi e tangi nei e haehae nei. Ko koe tonu kei te pūmahara o ngā whawhai mō te whenua, te mana māori motuhake me te mana o ō tātou wāhine.
Ko koe tēnei e whae kua wheturangitia. E te whetu tāreke o te wā tīrama mai. Ka toitū tonu te maharanui ki a koe, waiho mai mātou ki kōnei tangi ai, momori ai.
Tēnā koutou e te whānau as you would have heard we have lost one of our esteemed leaders, a matriarch of the people, a fighter of freedom and a staunch advocate for the rights of māori and women.
We are bereft, as we lose a mighty Kauri of the sacred forest. Our love and thoughts are with the whānau at this time. As you know the latest information is that she will lay in state at Hoani Waititi Marae here in West Auckland and the family has requested privacy so they are able to grieve tonite.
We will update here as information comes to hand.
Kia tau tonu ngā manaakitanga ki a tātou katoa.