A farewell to New Zealand’s most celebrated Maori writer

“Hone Tuwhare was a legendary poet whose works weaved together both Maori and English literature in an unique and memorable way.” Minister for Maori Affairs, Parekura Horomia said today as he paid tribute to the late Hone Tuwhare.

He was a distinguished poet, playwright, and writer of short fiction. His first volume of poems No Ordinary Sun gained him numerous acclaims and was the first book of poetry by a Maori writer in english.

This collection also marked Tuwhare’s passionate interest in political issues.

“Hone’s death will be felt deeply by his whanau, friends and all who enjoyed the works of this lyrical genius. The contribution he made to New Zealand literature is priceless. My thoughts are with his whanau and close friends at this sad time,” Parekura Horomia said.

He poroporoaki ki te tohunga kaituhi tino rongonui o Aotearoa 

”He kaitito whiti pÅ«rākau rongonui a Hone Tuwhare, I runga I āna tuhinga tuitui I ngā kupu Māori, kupu Ingarihi, ka kitea te ahurei me te maumaharatanga o āna mahi,” e kÄ« ana te Minita mō ngā Take Māori, a Parekura Horomia, I te rangi nei, hei whakanui I a Hone Tuwhare kua mate.

He kaitito whiti, he kaituhi whakaari, he kaituhi pakiwaitara tino rongonui ia. Me te maha o ngā whakamihi I tau ki a ia mō tāna tuhinga pukapuka whiti tuatahi, No Ordinary Sun, ā, koia nei anō te pukapuka whiti tuatahi a tētahi kaituhi Māori I roto I te reo ingarihi.

Nā tēnei pukapuka anō I whakamōhio I ngā whakaaro piripono a Tuwhare ki ngā take tōrangapū.

“Ka tau iho te pouritanga, o te matenga a Hone, ki runga I tōna whānau, I ōna hoa tata, me rātou katoa te hunga I kaingākau ki ngā mahinga a tÄ“nei tohunga kaituhi. He taonga kāmehameha tōna takoha ki te ao tuhituhi o Aotearoa. Kei tōna whānau, me ōna hoa tata aku whakaaro aroha I tÄ“nei wā,” I kÄ« a Parekura Horomia.