Poroporoaki: His Highness Susuga Malietoa Tanumafi
te-pati-maori
Mon May 14 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
Poroporoaki: His Highness Susuga Malietoa Tanumafi
Monday, 14 May 2007, 4:31 pm
Press Release: The Maori Party
Dr Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia
Co-leaders of the Maori Party
Monday 14 May 2007
The Maori Party has extended its sincere condolences to the people of Samoa, at home and in Aotearoa, in the passing of their King, His Highness Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II who died, aged 94 years old, at Tupua Tamasese National Hospital in Apia.
“Malietoa Tanumafili II has been one of the paramount chiefs, Malietoa since 1939, and has been Head of State, O le Ao o le Malo, for 45 years” said Dr Pita Sharples.
“His leadership reign has therefore spanned many generations and it is fitting that the nation of Aotearoa, mourns a monarch who has guided over so many significant changes in the life of Samoa” said Dr Sharples.
“In the whaikorero at tangihanga, tangata whenua often consider great sadnesses come in threes” said Dr Pita Sharples.
“And so today, we think of the late Head of State of Samoa as the last of a generation, the last of a triumvirate of distinguished leaders of the Pacific, alongside King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV of Tonga and Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara of Fiji. All three were related and each held chiefly titles widely recognised throughout the Pacific” said Dr Sharples.
“We in Aotearoa can feel a special connection in the relationship we have with His Highness, a relationship nurtured by the late Queen, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu” said Tariana Turia, Co-leader of the Maori Party.
"And I am sure that there will be former students from Tipene (St Stephens College, Auckland) and Wesley College (Pukekohe) who take pride in knowing that such a prestigious person was an old boy of their school” said Mrs Turia.
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“As peoples of the Pacific, we express our great sadness to our Pacific tuakana, who have not only lost one of the world’s longest reigning monarchs, but also a person of great significance to the history and future of Samoa” said Mrs Turia.
“Our deepest sympathies are with the Sa Malietoa, the nation and the peoples of Samoa across the globe who have lost their leader” said Tariana Turia.
ENDS
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