King Country iwi mourn passing of kaumātua Alan Taumata

Thursday, 1 April 2021

78-year-old, kaumātua, Alan Taumata of Ngāti Tūwharetoa & Ngāti Hauaroa has died

Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Hauaroa in the central North Island are mourning esteemed kaumātua Alan Daniel Taumata, who has died.

He was the first Māori to be appointed to work at Government House, serving Governor-General Sir Arthur Porritt, the first NZ-born governor-general.

Taumata started as a valet and then became a footman and a butler, all of which he learned by watching. He was also a member of Ngāti Pōneke Māori Cultual Club.

In an interview with Māori Television's Native Affairs, he considered his time at Government House a great lesson in etiquette.

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Kaumātua Alan Taumata was the first Māori to be appointed to work at Government House, serving Governor-General Sir Arthur Porritt, the first NZ-born governor-general.

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Taumata was a respected elder and spiritual leader from Kākāhi, east of Taumarunui, in the King Country. He led services at Hato Hōhepa Church in Kākāhi, which celebrated its centenary in 2018.

His son, Arana Taumata, said on social media “Ka takoto te taonga o te mate ki tōna marae ūkaipō i Kākahi, i te Rohe Pōtae. Tāria te wā, ka puta ngā whakamahuki mō te tangihanga. Pāpā - Takoto, okioki.”

“Our dearly departed will lay at his home marae of Kākāhi in the King Country, in time we will update you about the tangihanga arrangements”

Alan Taumata will lie in state at Kākāhi Marae, King Country from Thursday afternoon.

He died surrounded by whānau on Wednesday night. He was 78.

This story first appeared on Māori Television's website and has been republished on Stuff with permission