Rangatahi Hakaraia

Te Ao Hou, July 1969, Page 2

Rangatahi Hakaraia Maori woman welfare officer at Taumarunui for the past six years, Mrs Rangatahi Hakaraia died suddenly while on a visit to her mother of Te Puke for Easter. A tangi was held at Ngapuaiwaha pa, Taumarunui and the burial took place at a family cemetery at Manunui. Mrs Hakaraia was connected on her mother's side with leading families of the Ngati Hauaroa tribe. Through her maternal grandfather she was associated with the Ngati Uenuku tribe of the Ohakune-Raetihi area. She was a direct descendant of Topia Turoa, a high chief of the Whanganui River tribes, who was one of the chiefs originally nominated for the Maori kingship. Turoa, who also had affiliations with the Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe, deferred in favour of another nominee, Te Heu Heu of Ngati Tuwharetoa. On her father's side, Mrs Hakaraia was connected to the well known Metekingi family of Whanganui. Her great grandfather was an officer in charge of the friendly Maoris who fought against the Hau Hau at the battle of Moutoa Island. Her late father, Paki Metekingi, was an officer in the Maori Pioneer Battalion in World War One.