Rarotongan Leader on His Final Journey

te-pati-maori

Thu Jul 26 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Rarotongan Leader on His Final Journey

Thursday, 26 July 2007, 11:07 am
Press Release: The Maori Party

Dr Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia, Co-leaders of the Maori Party

Thursday 26 July 2007

The Maori Party has today acknowledged the loss to the people of the Cook Islands of a great Pacific leader, a great voyager, a scholar, and a health advocate.

"Sir Thomas Davis, Pa Tuterangi Ariki, was a distinguished stateman who will be greatly mourned by the peoples of Rarotonga" said Tariana Turia.

"We remember him as a committed health practitioner - having the honour of being the first Cook Islands medical graduate (from Otago University in 1945)" said Mrs Turia. "He then went on to complete a Masters degree in public health at Harvard before achieving significant heights as a research physiologist".

"His legacy is demonstrated in the way he influenced the health system in the Cooks" said Mrs Turia.

"His spirit of adventure was evident in his decision to work with NASA to work on the space programme" said Dr Sharples. "And we are particularly proud that in more recent times he became an honorary Professor of Polynesian Migration and Culture with Te Wananga o Aotearoa".

It was at this time that Sir Davis designed and supervised the construction of a 24 metre voyaging canoe for Te Wananga o Aotearoa.

"It seemed that whatever he turned his mind to - he would achieve great things" said Dr Sharples. "He was awarded Sportsman Achiever of the Year in Yachting (1998) and in 1999, recognised by the New Zealand Achievers Magazine as 'Pacific Islander of the Century".

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"His leadership was in many spheres of influence" said Dr Sharples. "After his time as Prime Minister - when others would think about retiring - he became High Commissioner of the Cook Islands and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2005".

"And of course the significance of Sir Thomas Davis will be long remembered in founding the Cook Islands Democratic Party " said Dr Sharples.

"We express our most sincere sympathies to all of his whanau in Rarotonga and across the world" said Dr Sharples.

E te Rangatira, haere ki to iwi, haere ki o tatou tupuna, haere ki to whanau. Haere ki te Kainga tuturu mo te tangata. Aue! Te Pouri! Te Tangi e! Haere, Haere, Haere!

ENDS

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