The wider Porirua community and local government representatives across Aotearoa paid their final respects during the packed funeral service of Kylie Wihapi, Porirua’s first Māori Ward councillor and a passionate advocate for her city.
Wihapi first entered the Porirua City Council in 2016 as the Easter Ward councillor before making history six years later as the inaugural Māori Ward councillor. Her sudden passing has left a profound void among her colleagues, community, and whānau.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker remembered Wihapi’s fierce dedication and dynamic entry into local politics.
“Oh, she was like a best friend. She came storming in here in 2016. And just before that, she came in to see us complaining about something, and we thought, ‘Wow, what a great woman she is! She’d make an awesome councillor.’ And she did,” Baker said.
Baker emphasized the extensive reach of Wihapi’s work across the city. “There isn’t anything or anyone she didn’t touch in Porirua. She just did everything for you.”
Reflecting on Wihapi’s deep community impact, Baker added, “She has no idea what she meant to the people of Porirua. She has done so much and she does it without people thinking about what people do. She doesn’t realise just what she meant to so many people in Porirua.”
Baker also noted the immense grief felt by those closest to her: “Her netball community, all those girls there are so many girls crying in Porirua at the moment and she will be missed and we just love her.”
Paying her respects, Rangitīkei Māori Ward Councillor Coral Raukawa shared her fond memories of her dear friend.
“I’m glad to be here, I’m glad to come and tautoko Te Rōpū Whakahaere o Te Maruata and just to come pay my respects to a dear friend whom, you know, I had a lot of time for. Loved her along time. She was funny as,” Raukawa said.
Raukawa captured the collective sorrow of the loss, stating, “There’s a lot of lot of happy memories of her. But she’s gone. She’s too young. She’s, you know, the community losing such a, you know, such a vibrant personality, you know? Uh, it’s a tragedy, that’s all I can say.”
Te aroha me te whakamahara ki a Kylie Wihapi
He kura tūohu nō te tauawhi o te aroha, he tangihanga e tamitia ana e te ngākau pouri me te mihi aroha ki tō tātou māreikura, ki a Kylie Wihapi. I te huinga o te motu ki Horouta Marae, i puta ngā kupu whakamahara mai i ngā pou o te ao Māori, e mau nei i te mamae me te whakahīhī mō tōna oranga me āna mahi i tutuki i tōna wā mō te hapori te take.
I te tukunga atu o ngā mihi whakamutunga, ka tangi te ngākau o Taku Parai nō Ngāti Toa Rangatira, i a ia i tuku i tana poroporoaki whakamutunga ki te hoa aroha.
“Haere, haere, haere ki te whakatūwhera ki te timatatanga i tō mahi i reira ki tērā taha o te ārai, ki te taha o ngā mātua tupuna ki te ringaringa o te atua runga rawa,” hei tā Taku.
“Ka mihi atu rā ki a koe e te māreikura e mihi ana i a koe kei te aroha nunui kei te ngākau nui nā reira e mihi ana ki a koe tō mahi i tēnei taha o tō marae kei Porirua tō hapori me kī ka mokemoke i a koe, e haere,” hei tāna anō.
Ko te reo o Raniera Albert o Horouta Marae hoki i whakanui i te kaha o tana aroha ki te hapori me te nui o te āputa kua waihotia mai.
“He mate koterewhererei, he ohorere, nāwhai anō ka kite i te aputa nui, i te kohao nui i kī rā koe,” hei tā Raniera.
“Nā te mea ko te hunga pēnei i a Kylie ko ia te kairaranga i te tangata, he pūkenga tēna ki te raranga i te tangata ki te here i ngā taura maha,” hei tāna anō.
Tae ā-tinana atu te tini o ngā kaikaunihera Wāri Māori o te motu ki te tuku roimata me te aroha pēnei i a Dinnie Moeahu Hei Kaikaunihera Wāri Māori o Ngāmotu.
“He tino tangi ana te ngākau mō mātou he kaikaunihera Māori o Aotearoa me Te Maruata whānau whānui he tino pouri mātou engari ka tū au, ka tū mātou ki te whakamana tēnei kaupapa pouri,” hei tā Dinnie.
E moe e te māreikura, e hoki ki te aroha o ōu tūpuna.