Acknowledging the passing of Mana Te Kanawa
Tērā a Pohutukawa e hao nei, e tō nei i te tini ki te pō. Matariki tāpuapua! mānu tō whenua tipu pēnei i te wai kei aku kamo. Kua hinga he tangata manawa rahi, he tangata manaaki, he tangata ū ki ōna whakapono. E te pou whakarae o Te Kooti Whenua Māori, e te mōrehu o te Tāhu o te Ture e Mana, e moe i tō moengaroa, kua ea o mahi, kua tau tō wairua. E te Rangatira, okioki, e moe.Tātou ngā manawa ora o rātou mā, tihei mauriora.
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Mana Te Kanawa, who recently retired after almost 50 years with the Māori Land Court.
Mana commenced work with the Māori Land Court in Hamilton on 8 April 1969. Throughout his career he was dedicated to the customer and was passionate about ensuring anyone who enquired about Māori Land, the Māori Land Court record or about making an application to the Court received the information and guidance they were looking for.
Lately, his sage advice and softly spoken manner were well known to many people across Tamaki Makau Rau, where he has led the small dedicated team at the Māori Land Court Auckland Information Office since 2001.
Mana will be remembered fondly by Māori he served throughout New Zealand but particularly in Te Waipounamu, where Mana was the Registrar for the District (which includes all of the South Island) from 1992 through until 2001.
During his career Mana also worked with the people of Te Taitokerau when he was based at the Whangarei Māori Land Court, and the communities of Te Taihauaru when he was based at the Whanganui Māori Land Court.
Mana talked about always aiming to do better. One of his core values was about providing a great service. He would say ‘it is about the wairua’ or about the spirit of how we serve. He was dedicated to the Māori Land Court, the Ministry and the people we serve.
Mana’s focus was always about the customer and messages of aroha and support are flooding in from the Māori communities who he has served and the many Ministry people and members of the Judiciary he has worked alongside over the last 49 years.
To the family of Mana and our people at the Māori Land Court, our thoughts are with you at this time.
Ka hinga te totara I te wao nui a Tane engari mate atu he tetekura. Whakaete mai he tetekura.
Andrew Bridgman
Chief Executive and the Secretary for Justice