Kua ru a maunga Hikurangi, kua waiehu te Waiapu!
Kua hinga atu te totara haemata o te wao nui a Tane!
Kua wahangu te kakakura o te reo irirangi!

E te tama toa a Tumatauenga; e te kairingi i nga kete o te wananga; e te reo papaho whakaoho i te hinengaro o te iwi – haere, haere, haere atu ra!

Haere ki o tipuna! Haere ki o hoa ki tua o te Arai!
E te whanau pani, ka nui te aroha ki to koutou papa kua ngaro atu nei.

Maori Party Co-leaders, Dr Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia, have today expressed their sympathies to the whanau and friends of Jim Perry, renowned broadcaster, educator and returned serviceman.

“We acknowledge, in particular, those of Ngati Porou and Ngai Tai whakapapa who mourn their distinguished son at this time” said Dr Sharples.

“Jim has served his nation with pride and passion, in many capacities”

“He was a veteran of active service in Malaysia and Borneo and former National Secretary of the New Zealand Malaya Veterans Association”.

“I knew Jim when he taught my nieces in Murupara” said Mrs Turia. “As a former teacher, and principal of kura kaupapa Maori in Te Puke, Mangere and Te Raki Paewhenua he made a strong contribution to the renaissance and revitalisation of te reo Maori”.

“That same passion was taken over into the broadcasting arena”.

“I really enjoyed his interviews which were always respectful but never failed to challenge” said Mrs Turia. “His talkback show, Putaatara, reflected his own personal commitment to ensuring tangata whenua were empowered with information and knowledge to make a difference”.

“Our sincere condolences to his whanau, his friends and colleagues at Radio Waatea, and of course listeners, who like us, benefited from his insights shared across the air”.

ENDS

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