Kaumātua and leader Piri Sciascia dies
Saturday, 18 January 2020
This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.
Revered kaumātua and leader, Professor Piri Sciascia, has died.
Piri Sciascia, who was 73 and of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāi Tahu and Italian descent, will be taken to his marae, Rongomaraeroa in Porangahau on Sunday.
Born in 1946, he grew up in Porangahau in southern Hawke's Bay.
READ MORE: Professor Piri Sciascia honoured
The distinguished leader, had many roles throughout his life.
Some of those include his role as deputy vice chancellor - Māori at Wellington's Victoria University, which he left in 2016. He joined the university in 2000 filling the roles of assistant vice-chancellor - Māori, pro vice-chancellor - Māori and later deputy vice-chancellor - Māori in 2014.
He was also an artist, composer and performer - he founded Tamatea Arikinui in the late 70s, Ngāti Kahungunu's oldest kapa haka group as well as being the driving force behind the Te Māori exhibition in 1984.
His many accolades include a ONZM for service to Māori arts he received in 2013.
Prof Sciascia talked to Kim Hill about being awarded an ONZM in 2016.
Other awards include being acknowledged as Tohunga Huarewa by Te Whare Tapere o Takitimu, Te Matatini and Massey University in 2001, he won the Keepers of Traditions award at the Waiata Māori Music Awards in 2008 and was also a recipient of Te Kete Aronui o Ngā Toi at Kahungunu Ngā Tohu Reo (Language awards) in 2013.
After leaving Victoria University, and up until he died, he has been the kaumātua and advisor to the Governor-General and he has been a key figure seen guiding and standing alongside the royals, heads of state and other dignitaries visiting Aotearoa.
In the 1970s, Piri toured with the Māori Theatre Trust, who performed with famous bass-baritone Inia Te Wiata (1915-1971).
He was also the chair of Te Māngai Pāho and Te Māori Manaaki Tāonga Trust.
He was the recipient of Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka for his lifetime of service to Māori arts.
And what he had described as his most important role was as father and grandfather to his children and mokopuna.
E te rangatira, moe mai ra.
This story was originally published on RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.