A Mighty Tōtara has fallen: a tribute to Kaumatua Patrick Tupoto Manawakaiaia Ruka
You know I am only part of the fabric, the twine, the weave of what God is doing for Aotearoa.
I am nothing more, nothing less. Just part of the weave that holds this whole mat together, this whole whariki together.
These are the words of a deeply humble and profound rangatira, Kaumatua Patrick Tupoto Manawakaiaia Ruka.
If I had to sum up Matua Pat in one word, it would be aroha. Matua had a deep love for his God, his Ngapuhi people, Israel and all with whom he came into contact. He made no distinction between people of different colour or nationality. He had a simple, open loving heart. This aroha was combined with a steely strength and determination. He was always willing to call out kaka (rubbish) when he saw it.
Matua Pat also had a wealth of knowledge of the ways and history of his people and I was privileged to receive a small measure of his wisdom in the relatively short time that I knew him.
Matua’s love for his Ngapuhi people was paramount, but he also held a deep love for Israel. This was passed down to him from his tupuna. He carried the story that his ancestors wanted to offer some of their land for Jewish refugees after the Holocaust. A group of his tupuna went down to Wellington to meet with the government. They were told to “go back to their hovels”. Eventually, the government did take their land, but it was given to Pākehā returned servicemen.
Matua Pat did get the opportunity to express the desire of his ancestors towards Israel in a historic hui held at Hoani Waititi Marae in 2018. Matua Pat spearheaded the staging of a special powhiri to welcome back the Israeli ambassador, H.E. Dr. Itzhak Gerberg, after he was recalled, following New Zealand’s infamous co-sponsoring of the anti-Israel UNSC Resolution 2334 in 2016. The whakapāha, ceremony of apology, was held to express regret for New Zealand’s actions in standing against Israel at the UN and to seek forgiveness.
During the speechmaking, Matua Pat expressed the deeply held feelings of his ancestors towards the people of Israel:
Our ancestors have cried for the day that they could meet with the sons of Abraham. ‘Cause you were the people of hope, the people of light. Welcome to my whare (meeting house). Welcome… I, like them, have waited for this day.
Matua Pat continued to cultivate the relationship between Israel and Ngapuhi, with a number of hui over recent years. Earlier this year the new Israeli ambassador, HE Ran Yaakoby was welcomed to Ngapuhi in a powerful and moving powhiri, which coincided with Earth Day.
Ngapuhi and Israel exchanged trees native to their lands as a mark of the deepening friendship. The olive tree, embued with spiritual significance and symbolizing continuity and peace, was gifted to Ngapuhi to be planted on their sacred land. In turn, Israel Ambassador Ran Yaakoby was given a native kauri tree, a tree that will “bend, but not break” in the midst of a storm.
Kaumatua Patrick Tupoto Manawakaiaia Ruka was truly a gift to all who knew him.
The Indigenous Coalition for Israel whanau will miss his guidance, wisdom, knowledge and aroha. But his legacy remains. The seed he has planted in the hearts of many, will be watered and will flourish. He has brought blessing to his people with the message:
What are we doing? Genesis 12 said, if we want to be blessed, to bless his children, the children of promise and the children of light.
Poroporoake (Farewell)
