Ko te reo karanga, ko te reo tohutohu, ko te reo kōhete koi whati ngā tikanga, ko te reo o ōna mātua tīpuna, nāna i tapatapa ingoa ki tēnā, ki tēnā wāhi o Te Papa. Ko te reo o Te Hēmanawa Temara, kua wahangū i te rā nei e!
Tēnā tātou e Te Whānau o Te Papa kua pani i te hingaanga o Hema. Ehara i te wahine noa iho, he tipua, he taniwha! He kaitiaki i ngā taonga tuku iho. He kaiako, nāna tātou i ako ki ngā tikanga tiaki taonga, tiaki i a tātou anō.
This week Te Papa lost a significant former kaimahi | staff member, Hema Temara (Tūhoe, 10 Feb 1948 – 27 Feb 2019), who passed away in Whakatāne.
Hema was a dedicated member of Te Papa, beginning her work as an Education Officer at the former site of Te Papa at Buckle Street in 1992, and ultimately as the Pou Whakarae Tikanga and Marae Coordinator for many years, where she was an iconic presence for the many iwi and international visitors that visited Rongomaraeroa marae.
She was instrumental in the work of the repatriation programme at Te Papa – Karanga Aotearoa – helping to bring tūpuna | ancestors back to New Zealand.
Hema passionately upheld the bicultural philosophy of Te Papa, bringing all cultures together with warm manaakitanga | hospitality, welcoming everyone to the museum as the face of “Our Place”.
Hema was a staunch defender of Tikanga Māori | Māori rituals and protocols, and shared her mātauranga | knowledge with everyone she came in contact with. Te Papa practices have been influenced by her and continue to uphold many of her teachings.
Hema was a vivacious personality of Te Papa, who delighted in waiata | song and whaikōrero | oral arts. She will be dearly missed by Te Whānau o Te Papa Tongarewa and all those whose lives she touched.
Kei taku whāea, e Hema, haere atu rā ki te iwi nui i te pō. Okioki rā.
Written by Ngā Manu Atarau staff with Puawai Cairns
Love you always, Hema. Ko tāu tauira au i ngā mea o te ao Māori. Ka penapena tōu akoranga i ngā wā katoa. Ka maumahara hoki ki tōu whakahirahira 🙂
I loved Nanny Hema with all my heart. With all my heart
I would like to convey my sincere sympathy and sorrow to the bereaved family for the passing of Te Hēmanawai. My name is Hale Siaosi also known by the name Charles George of Tokelauan and Samoan heritage. I have never known or seen her but I believe we all feel the sadness and sorrow of he her passing just the same. He aha he mea nui i te ao nei? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. May she rest in peace. Ia manuia lau malaga.
Kind Regards
Hale