Poroporoaki: Andrew Sarich

Maori Party Co-Leaders Marama Fox MP and Hon Te Ururoa Flavell

E te rangatira, e te reo o ngā tūpuna, e te kaiārahi o ngā uri whakatipu: takoto mai, takoto mai takoto mai! E te taonga a te mate, takahia atu rā te ara whānui a tane, whakangaro atu rā ki te pō e, moe mai rā. Me pēnei te kōrero, tukuna rātou kia okioki i runga i te moenga roa. Āpiti hono, tātai hono, ko te akaaka o te rangi ki a rātou; āpiti hono, tātai hono, ko te akaaka o te whenua ki a tātou te hunga ora.

The Māori Party mourns the passing of Andrew Sarich of Kaikohe, a much respected kaumātua from the Bay of Islands.

Māori Party Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell says, “I will always remember him for his outstanding efforts in advancing te reo Māori and his commitment to Māori education. Andy and his darling wife Kath were members of the Tino Rangatiratanga Education Authority. He had a great sense of humour and was a big advocate of establishing a Māori Education Authority.”

In 2004, the Māori Arts Council awarded him the Reo Rangatira Award. He was greatly respected for the work he and his wife, Kath, devoted to Te Papa Kupu ā-Motu.

“His influence on the Tai Tokerau dictionary, Te Papakura o Te Tai Tokerau, was profound,” says Mr Flavell.

"Many of us across Aotearoa remember this distinguished kaumātua playing the role of Tubal /Tupara in the Māori Merchant of Venice" says Marama Fox, Co-leader of the Māori Party.

“He cared passionately about the future of education for Māori and was a dedicated advocate for whānau, hapū and iwi in Te Tai Tokerau. One of his special contributions was through the research project, Te Whare Kauri. It is somewhat poignant that in his last years he was fighting for the people of Te Mahurehure to keep the value and benefit of forestry in the district,” says Mrs Fox.

"Andy participated in developments right across the width and breadth of the communities in Te Tai Tokerau”, says Māori Party Co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell.

Andy Sarich served on the Lottery Northland Community Committee; he was an active representative for his people on marae committees, district councils and regional councils; he added value to the work of Corrections, Police and the Justice sector and was chair of Te Taiamai ki te Marangai, representing fourteen marae and five hapū.

He was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for community service in 2004.

Moe mai rā e te rangatira i tō moenga roa.

ENDS

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