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Ngāpuhi elder Kingi Taurua laid to rest

Tuesday, 29 May 2018

Nga Puhi elder Kingi Taurua died, aged 80.
Nga Puhi elder Kingi Taurua died, aged 80.

Hundreds have gathered to farewell Ngāpuhi leader, Kingi Taurua at Te Tii Marae, in Waitangi.

Prime Minister​ Jacinda Ardern was among the many who gathered to farewell the much celebrated Māori leader at his tangi.

Tributes continue to flow for Ngāpuhi leader Kingi Taurua who passed away last Thursday in Auckland. 

Taurua, 80, was an award-winning broadcaster with Radio Watea, an advisor to ministers, and a veteran of the Vietnam War. 

He was discharged in 1967, after serving for a number of years, travelling to the Salisbury Plains in England and in Singapore.

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He was also the first Māori guard at Buckingham Palace.

Taurua past away on Thursday, May 24, after a long battle with cancer.

This year, he led a hikoi on Waitangi Day to protest what he said was an unwillingness of government to listen to all Māori.

He was an advisor to both Helen Clark and Jenny Shipley for a time, the latter one of many politicians in attendance during Monday's service.