Poroporoaki ki a Rima Edwards

E hikohiko ana te uira, e papā ana te whatitiri, e tū papaki ana hoki ngā tai ki Te Reinga! E Rima, e te uri o Te Rarawa, o Ngāti Kuri, o ngā iwi e rima o Muriwhenua, kua hinga koe, kua mate koe!

Kua roa koe e pīkau ana i ngā take o Muriwhenua, o te ao Māori, ki te kāwanatanga, ki te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi, ki ngā Kōti o te motu, o te ao whānui!

Ināianei kua tata tūtuki ngā tūmanako, ka mate koe!

E Rima, haere, haere, haere ki te Pō!

Takahia atu rā te Ara Wairua ki Te Reinga, kauria te moana ki Manawatāwhi titiro whakamuri mai ai, a, ahu tonu atu ki Hawaiki nui, Hawaiki roa, Hawaiki pāmamao.

Haere ki a Matiu Rata mā, ki a Makari Matiu mā, ki a Simon Snowden mā, ki ngā kuia, koroua nā rātou ngā take o Muriwhenua i kōkiri i ō rātou wā.
Haere ki a Martin, ki tērā toa o te ture!

Kei muri ngā iwi katoa e tangi ana ki a koe. Kei te mōhio mātou, kua ora mātou katoa i ō kōrero tuku iho mai i te Whare Wānanga o Te Atua Wera, hei māramatanga mo te ture.

Nā te whakaaro nui o Muriwhenua ki te motu, i whakaae mai koutou kia whakatārewatia ō koutou tono whenua kia kōkiritia ai ngā take mahinga ika, ahumoana!

Ko tō koutou tohenga roa mo Te Oneroa a Tohe, hei kaupapa mo te take o ngā iwi katoa ki te takutai moana!

Kua whai hua ngā take ngahere, whakapāho reo Māori hoki!

Ēngari kua ngaro koe e Rima! Kua mokemoke tō whānau, kua mokemoke Tā Kereama, kua mokemoke mātou katoa.

Maori Party Co-leader Dr Pita Sharples said the iwi of Muriwhenua in the Far North will be devastated by the recent death of their kaumatua and advocate Rima Edwards.

“Rima Edwards was a scholar raised in the traditional whare wananga, whose evidence on Maori custom helped to change the course of New Zealand’s history,” said Dr Sharples.

“Rima inherited the mantle of Matiu Rata and other kaumatua who lodged the Muriwhenua claims. For 25 years he helped to guide the people along the tortuous path of the law, and on the brink of achieving settlement, Rima passed away. It is so sad.

“All the iwi of Aotearoa owe a debt of gratitude to Muriwhenua, and Rima Edwards exemplified the breadth of vision and generosity of spirit that put wider Maori interests ahead of his own iwi.

“When commercial fisheries claims arose during the hearing of the Muriwhenua land claims, Muriwhenua graciously agreed to an urgent hearing taking precedence over their own claims – even though the consequent delays cost them dearly.

“Muriwhenua, with Rima Edwards as an expert witness, supported the foreshore and seabed claims on the basis of their own experience fighting for rights to Te Oneroa a Tohe – the Ninety Mile Beach.

“Rima was at Sir Graham Latimer’s side during claims over Maori broadcasting, forestry lands and other issues. So we all owe Rima and his people more than most of us realise. He also served in local government and on community organisations in thre Far North.

“Throughout these tumultuous times, Rima was unfailingly kind and polite. He was a real gentleman, and our thoughts are with his whanau at this sad time.

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