logo
ENFRع
#

Latest news with #NatashaKemp

Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp laid to rest
Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp laid to rest

RNZ News

time01-07-2025

  • Politics
  • RNZ News

Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp laid to rest

Watch the livestream from Opaea Marae above This story was updated to clarify that the nēhu was on Tuesday Hundreds of people are at the nēhu, or burial service, for Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp. Kemp, 50, died last Thursday, prompting an outpouring of grief from fellow MPs and the public who lamented the loss of a staunch adovacate for rangatahi and South Auckland. The Tāmaki Makaurau MP was taken to lie at Hoani Waititi Marae in West Auckland until Saturday morning, before travelling to Opaea Marae just north of Taihape. Takutai Tarsh Kemp has been laid rest on the grounds behind Opaea Marae. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi told the service at Opaea Marae Kemp was a "peaceful, soft, but strong leader for her people". Opaea Marae trustee Cyril Mako said preparing to host the masses in such a short time was tough but many whānau pitched in to prepare today's nēhu (burial). Opaea Marae spokesperson Cyril Mako. Photo: RNZ / Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira Mako told RNZ he was expecting between 800 and 1200 people to attend - a tall order for a small marae like Opaea. "If you'd been here five years ago we weren't actually functioning," he said. "It's an old marae, our toilet block had been pulled down and we were basically closed for a period of time." Mako said they had to rely on the help of nearby marae - their whānau - to help with kai preparation and housing people who travelled for the burial service. Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp was laid to rest on Tuesday. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ "They jumped at it, and we really appreciate it because we couldn't have done it ourselves." Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins and other party members were welcomed onto the marae just after 9am. Speaking at a post-cabinet media conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he would not be attending the tangi, but the National Party would be well represented. Luxon also ruled out announcing a date for the Tāmaki Makarau by-election, triggered by Kemp's death, saying he wanted the week to be focussed on her. Kemp's MP car at the marae. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ Speaking to media, Hipkins said he would not criticise the prime minister for not attending but the death of a sitting member of Parliament was rare. The nēhu, or burial service, began at 11am and the day is being streamed live online. The burial was at Opaea Marae. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

'Believe in you, believe in me, believe in Māori': Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp dead at 50
'Believe in you, believe in me, believe in Māori': Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp dead at 50

RNZ News

time26-06-2025

  • Health
  • RNZ News

'Believe in you, believe in me, believe in Māori': Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp dead at 50

Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp died in the early hours of Thursday morning, only a few hours after returning to her home in Auckland from Parliament. Kemp, 50, founded the Rangatahi Mental Health Youth Hub in partnership with the University of Auckland, served as Director of Hip Hop International New Zealand, managed the first crew from Aotearoa to qualify for the World Hip Hop Championships in the US and lead Manurewa Marae as its chief executive through the Covid-19 pandemic. Kemp was recognised as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to youth and street dance in 2021. She had taken leave from Parliament last year, following a diagnosis of kidney disease and had recently celebrated her 50th birthday. Running as the Te Pāti Māori candidate for the Tāmaki Makarau Māori electorate in 2023, Kemp only narrowly beat out Labour incumbent Peeni Henare by a margin of 42 vote, following a recount, to win the seat. In her maiden speech, Kemp spoke about her early life in South Taranaki. Kemp was the first born child of her parents Clark Karaka Kauika-Stevens and Ngaire Anne Te Hirata Kauika-Stevens. "Both my parents were hard-working, community focused, whānau-driven, and very, very loving parents. I want to acknowledge my parents, today, who are here. This is where my whānau ora seed was sown," Kemp said "My father enlisted in the Corps of the Royal New Zealand Engineers and was posted to Linton army camp in 1977. The following year, the waka pakanga of our whānau arrived-my sister Leaara Jade Tārete Tangituohu, tēnei te mihi nui ki a koe e taku tuahine." Named after her father's mother, Takutai Moana Nora Wirihana Tawiki, Kemp said was raised by her grandparents from the age of seven till she was eleven - a common practice in te ao Māori - and returned to her people of Ngāti Pourua and her marae Takirau. Kemp described her nana as her "world". "This was the start of my marae upbringing as I lived there and attended Ngamatapouri School. Takirau is where I was immersed in tikanga Māori and brought up to manaaki people, particularly under the leadership of my grandmother." "She made many decisions for the mahi that needed to be done, even from her bed," Kemp said. Takutai Tarsh Kemp said caring for whānau ran through her blood. Photo: Supplied/ Te Pāti Māori Kemp was a devout follower of the Rātana faith and shared her whānau's connection to it's prophet and founder, Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana. "My papa's mother Huatahi Peina Hawira and my great-grandfather's sister Mariana Hekenui were part of the rōpū that travelled with Tahu Potiki Wiremu Rātana on his world tour in 1924. These two kuia remind me of my own whānau connections to a significant piece of history concerning the Tiriti grievances," Kemp said. "Rātana carried a petition on the Treaty of Waitangi and land confiscations to present to King George V and the League of Nations. Rātana was searching for mutual remedies for the troubles that the government put on Māori." As her children grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau, Kemp said, they developed a love for hip-hip dance, a love she said "saved our lives". "I went from the "dance mom" to become the Hip Hop International New Zealand Director, travelling the world through the World Hip Hop Dance Championship for 20 years." Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp. Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers As chief executive of Manurewa Marae, Kemp and her team delivered 65,000 vaccinations through the Covid-19 pandemic. "It takes courage, bravery to stand up for what your community needs and to navigate tikanga through uncertain times. To all our kaimahi who are here, and those that couldn't travel, who have continued to hold the front line for our people, I mihi to you and your continuous, unconditional aroha for our community." "I will never forget the mahi that our marae did and what we stood for." Being a "grassroots marae girl", Kemp said caring for whānau ran through her blood. "Our future in Tāmaki-makau-rau and across the motu is on the right path with our 'to Māori, for Māori, by Māori' approach. I would like to recognise the 'Proud to be Māori' movement of Te Pāti Māori that has supported six unapologetic Māori voices into this Whare. We will not let you down, and I can promise you we will never be quiet." "Never forget: we are magic people. We live in an Aotearoa hou. We will walk and talk and we are proud to be Māori. Toitū te reo Māori, toitū te whenua, toitū Te Tiriti. Believe in you, believe in me, believe in Māori," Kemp said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store