Kia hiwa ra! Kia Hiwa ra!   Kua hinga he totara teitei i te wao nui ā Tāne. Ko Ranginui Walker terā. Takoto mai e kara i te takotoranga o nga mātua tūpuna. Tenei mātou te tangi kau ake. Haere, haere, haere ra.

It is with great regret and sadness to hear of the passing of Dr Ranginui Walker. Rangi passed away last evening surrounded by his whānau.  Our deepest sympathy and aroha are extended to Deidre, Michael and the whānau pani. While we mourn we also reflect on Rangi’s significant contribution to Māori and the nation, and know that this is and will be recognised and celebrated in the days and years to come.

The loss of Ranginui from our midst will be so very strongly felt. For many of us his intellectual labour provided the foundation for our work. He gave energy to our politics and a critique that demanded a response. His careful analysis of the condition of Māori and clear identification of the causes were deemed radical when he first pronounced them and yet they have informed the work of the nation and shaped our present political landscape.  His acuteness of thought and word remained with him until the end. His was a life of service to Māori.