Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Ko te reo kua mū: Piri Sciascia

Minister for Māori Development Hon Nanaia Mahuta joins te ao Māori in their sorrow as they learn of the loss of one of the great orators and spokespersons of a generation – Piri Sciascia.

“The son of Pōrangahau was a staunch advocate for Māori development and served his people for over five decades in the arts, tertiary and Māori development sector. Piri was a great believer in Māori realising their potential,” Minister Mahuta says.

“He was fond of the arts and worked hard to ensure toi Māori was given appropriate recognition here and internationally. He was a founding member of Tamatea Arikinui and would be a known face at kapa haka competitions held across the motu, being an astute composer of haka and waiata.”

More recently Piri served as a Pouwhakahaere at Te Puni Kōkiri where he would assist and advise the Office of the Governor General on matters related to and how to best engage with Māori. He would attend special events around the motu as the kaumātua for the office.

“He was fearless in the way he advocated for Māori issues, and always did so in a statesmanlike style.

“He was an iconic kaumātua and his passion for the arts, kapa haka were natural talents from his Kahungunu and Kāi Tahu lineage, he follows on from many great of leaders from that region.

“His sage words of wisdom and his practical and aspirational advice will be sorely missed throughout te ao Māori, I will miss seeing him around dearly,” Minister Mahuta says.

“Nō reira e te rangatira o te waka o Tākitimu, haere e te mana nui, ki tō iwi nui i te pō, haere.”

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.