Vale, Tā Tamati Muturangi Reedy

Te tai rā, Te tai rā, Te tai rā e pari ana ki hea, E pari ana ki te kauheke tangata, Ka rongo te ao, Ka rongo te pō.

E Tā, e tangi kau ana tō iwi i Te Ao Rangahau ki a koe i tō rironga atu ki te pō, i te mutunga mai o ō rangi ki te ao. Ko tāu i koha mai, he ingoa e kawea tonutia nei. E tika ana, ko tā mātou hei whakahoki, he kōrero tonu i tō ingoa me te hononga i waenga i a tāua.

E tangi ana a Te Ao Rangahau i te rironga atu o Tā Tamati Muturangi Reedy KNZM (Ngāti Porou), he rangatira, he pou tokomanawa nō te ao mātauranga, nō te ao tūmatanui, nō roto hoki i te reo Māori.

Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau mourns and acknowledges the recent passing of Tā Tamati Muturangi Reedy.

Tā Tamati was a leader whose influence shaped modern Aotearoa. As Chief Executive of the Department of Māori Affairs, he played a pivotal role in transformative change, including the advancement of te reo Māori through the Māori Language Act and the progression of Treaty of Waitangi claims. His later work across academia, governance, and the Waitangi Tribunal continued this legacy of impact.

Together with the late Lady Tilly Te Koingo Reedy, he helped shape Te Whāriki, embedding kaupapa Māori at the heart of early childhood education. His legacy is one of enduring commitment to language revitalisation, education, and the development of Māori communities.

For Engineering New Zealand, his contribution carries particular significance. In 2018, Tā Tamati gifted the name Te Ao Rangahau “the engineering universe” a name that reflects both aspiration and responsibility: to bring engineering to life in a way that is grounded in Aotearoa and enriched by Te Ao Māori. We acknowledge the depth of this koha, and the whakaaro that continues to guide our direction.

E te rangatira, kua whetūrangitia koe. Moe mai rā i te aroha o te tini me te mano.