Waata Tepania

Te Ao Hou, March 1969, Page 2

Waata Tepania Within the space of only three months, the Aupouri Tribe in particular has suffered grave loss in the number of outstanding figures and personalities in the tribe. On Monday 20 January, on his way from Ahipara to Te Kao to assist his people at Te Kao to prepare the marae for a Vice-Regal visit in February, Mr Waata (Walter) Tepania died as a result of an accident, which occurred at Ngataki. Mr Tepania was in a truck driven by his son, Mr James Tepania. When the truck struck a deep hole, the door flew open, throwing Mr Tepania, his daughter-in-law and a young child onto the road. Mr Tepania died instantly but none of the other passengers were injured. Chairman of the Taitokerau Maori District Council, a member of the New Zealand Maori Council, and a member of both the Taitokerau and Aupouri Maori Trust Boards, Mr Tepania was a leader and elder of both the Aupouri and Rarawa tribes. A resident at Ahipara, he was born at Wai-mahana and as a lad attended the most northerly school in New Zealand — Te

Hapua. He worked as a farmhand, a kauri bushman, a bullock driver, a cartage contractor, a commercial fisherman and then became a building contractor. Always interested in the affairs of his people, Mr Tepania took an active part in promoting the education of his people and the retention of Maori culture. It was he who was primarily responsible for the erection of the Ohaki Meeting-house at Ahipara. A prominent member of the Roman Catholic Church, his interests were not limited to his own church as far as religious matters were concerned. Again it was he who was primarily responsible for the renovation of the Ahipara Anglican Church. Speakers at his tangi held at Ahipara, at which a very large number gathered, referred to him as the ‘needle which was responsible for sewing the churches together as well as the people.’ A forthright and fearless speaker, Mr Tepania represented his tribes at various national gatherings, being respected for his dedication and sincerity of purpose. So, Te Aupouri and Te Rarawa have again lost another of their notable sons — an irreparable loss which is mourned by many fortunate to know him. E Wa, nau i takahi nga marae tini o te motu. Ko koe te manu korero o te Tai-tokerau, kua wahangu nei i tenei ra. Kua pania to iwi. Haere ra; kua okioki koe i o mahi; e moe i roto i te Ariki.