Over 200 people attended
a stirring parliamentary launch for the biography 'Parekura Horomia - Kia Ora
Chief' by Wira Gardiner.
Flanked
by Minister Hekia Parata, MP Nanaia Mahuta, Acting Chair Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti
Porou Selwyn Parata, Te Puni Kokiri ex-CEO Leith Comer and Parekura's three
sons Desmond, Wallace and Turei, author Sir Wira Gardiner gave a rousing
account of his journey collecting the stories of over 70 people from around New
Zealand and overseas that paint a genuine picture of the late Parekura Horomia.
‘When I saw the
thousands of people who arrived at his tangi to pay their respects, that is
when I realised the tremendous impact that he had had, and that is when I
promised his sons that I would write the book’, said Wira.
With many stories,
waiata and laughter, the speakers regaled a receptive audience about the positive,
if somewhat unorthodox, impact that Parekura had on the Department of Labour
and on Te Puni Kokiri in his time as Minister of Māori Affairs.
With forewords by former
prime minister Helen Clark and Hekia Parata, ‘Parekura Horomia – Kia Ora Chief’, pubished by Huia is now available at all good bookstores.
Sir Wira Gardiner has
had careers in the army, public service and as a writer. A Lieutenant Colonel
in the army, he took up leadership and establishment roles in the public
service, being the founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal, the first
general manager of the Iwi Transition Agency and the founding chief executive
of Te Puni Kōkiri. He was knighted for his services to Māori in 2008.
Above - Pictured Sir Wira
Gardiner (second from left) with L-R Wallace, Turei and Desmond Horomia.
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