Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp was laid to rest on Tuesday. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ
Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp has been laid to rest today on the grounds of a small church at Opaea Marae among the rolling hills of Taihape.
The Tāmaki Makaurau MP died suddenly last week after battling a kidney disease.
Kemp was a descendant of Ngā Rauru and the iwi Mokai Patea, Ngāti Tamakōpiri, Ngāti Whitikaupeka, Ngāi Te Ohuake, Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Paki, Ngāti Hinemanu, and Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
She hailed from the marae of Opaea, Moawhango and Winiata as well as Takirau Marae in the Waitōtara Valley of South Taranaki where she was raised by her grandparents for much of her childhood.
Richard Steedman was an uncle to Kemp and one of the speakers for Opaea Marae.
The iwi of Mokai Patea are immensely proud of her work in and out of Parliament, he said.
Opaea Marae speaker and Takutai Kemp's uncle Richard Steedman. Photo: RNZ / Pokere Paewai
"That taonga has been plucked from us, the loss will be felt for a long, long time for us... it's an indescribable loss."
Steedman said Opaea Marae is not accustomed to the number of of manuhiri that have arrived to pay their respects.
He was grateful for the support of all the marae around Taihape, from the council and from local farmers who provided tractors and freed up their paddocks for parking.
"It's been hard, not myself particularly, but I know there are a lot of people doing a lot of mahi."
Opaea Marae trustee Cyril Mako said preparing to host the masses in such a short time was tough but many whānau pitched in to prepare today's nēhu (burial).
Takutai Tarsh Kemp has been laid rest on the grounds behind Opaea Marae. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ
"If you'd been here five years ago we weren't actually functioning," he said.
"It's an old marae, our toilet block had been pulled down and we were basically closed for a period of time."
Mako said they had to rely on the help of nearby marae - their whānau - with kai preparation and housing people who travelled for the burial service.
"They jumped at it, and we really appreciate it because we couldn't have done it ourselves."
Te Pati Maori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said Kemp's strength came from places like Opaea.
Takutai Tarsh Kemp has been laid rest on the grounds behind Opaea Marae. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ
"Here we are in one of the most rural parts in central North Island paying tribute to a woman who I want to acknowledge as I fighter for our people.
"But also where did that come from, and that comes from little small places like this, it comes from being brought up in a very strong Māori community and she died as she lived, serving our people."
In her eulogy, Kemp's sister, Leaara-Jade Kauika-Stevens said throughout the tangi a tīwaiwaka, or fan-tail, could been seen listening to the kōrero from the paepae.
She dedicated a song to her sister, likening her to the fantail who Māori say are messengers of the gods.
Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp was laid to rest on Tuesday. Photo: Pokere Paewai / RNZ
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