Lewis Moeau - he aituā, he aituā!

Kua tau ngā pōkeao ki runga i te marae o Te Poho o Taharākau ki roto o Manutūkē, oti rā ki runga o Puketapu me Manawaru, ngā maunga tipua o te hautipua kua riro nei. E heke ana ngā roimata me ngā maimai aroha mō te rangatira kua hinga nei nō Ngāti Maru, Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, kua kapohia e te ringa kaha o aituā.

“The Labour Party wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the whānau of Lewis (Sonny) Moeau who passed this morning after a short battle with illness, says the MP for Ikaroa Rāwhiti Meka Whaitiri.

“Lewis or 'Parps' as he affectionately known, has worked tirelessly for Māoridom over many years and his close connection to the Labour Party began through his work alongside former Ikaroa Rāwhiti MP Parekura Horomia in his time as Minister of Māori Affairs as well as travelling extensively both here and abroad with former Prime Minister and Labour leader Helen Clark.

“Ikaroa Rāwhiti's Meka Whaitiri is a niece of Lewis and says he will be sorely missed.

“Uncle Lewis epitomised the word ‘servant’ whether it was royalty, prime ministers, the Dalai Lama or kapa. Uncle had an unequivocal gift of guiding and generosity of sharing his enormous kete of knowledge. E Te Pāpā, moe mai i runga e ngā ringringa o tātou atua.

“The details of Mr Moeau's tangi are still being finalised and will be released by the whānau later today, “ says Meka Whaitiri.

Nō reira e te Pāpā, haere ki a Parekura, haere ki tō hoa mahi, waihotia mai ō mahi rangatira ki konei hei tauira mā ngā tini whakatipuranga kua mahue mai nei ki muri.

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