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Prime Minister Helen
Clark says Dame Te Ata was a great leader for Maoridom and used her
power as the head of Kingitanga very wisely. Maori Party co-leader
Pita Sharples described the queen "like a beautiful butterfly."
"This is a tremendously sad day for Maoridom and for all of New Zealand
because Dame Te Ata has been one of our great leaders. With 40 years as
the Maori Queen, and the head of a very, very big movement in Maoridom,
she is acknowledged throughout the country as a great rangatira - a
great leader."
"She has been an ariki in every sense to the word. I don't know of any
other royalty that's been like her. She's carried out the role
fantastic - she's been supportive of almost every initiative, she has
been a lady at all times and we're going to miss her."
British High Commissioner
George Fergusson says she was warm, friendly and affectionate, but
carried immense mana without being pompous or self important. "She was
a very warm personality but you sensed nonetheless that she was someone
special."
Professor James Ritchie, a close friend and advisor, says her passing
will be a moment of enormous unification for Maoridom.
Ritchie says Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu grew in respect over
the course of her 40-year reign - within maoridom and
internationally. He says she was very aware of her serenity, her
calmness and her sense of assurance, but not in a way that was ever an
expression of power or arrogance.
Ritchie says one of Dame Te Ata's great achievement was to reunify
Tainui so they could protect the Kingitanga.
