Te Kahautu Maxwell leads the funeral service at Maraenui Marae yesterday. Photo: Troy Baker
Hundreds turned out to pay their respects at the funeral of community leader and former Ōpōtiki district councillor Louis Rāpihana yesterday.
The service was held at Maraenui Marae, four days after the news went out on Good Friday that Rāpihana had died at Rotorua Hospital from heart failure at the age of 38.
Following one night lying in state at Terere Marae in Ōpōtiki, and three days of tangihanga at Maraenui, Rāpihana was buried at nearby Te Ahi Manu urupa.
Along with his many family and friends, those who knew Rāpihana through his role in local government travelled from around the country to Maraenui for the ceremony. These included fellow members of Local Government New Zealand subcommittee's Te Maruata and Young Elected Members from the Far North, Auckland, Rotorua and Christchurch. Far North Mayor Moko Tepania and Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell were among them.
Dignitaries also included former Whakatāne mayor Judy Turner and former Ōpōtiki mayor Lyn Riesterer. Ōpōtiki mayor David Moore said Rapihana's passing had come as "a great shock".
"We have lost a charismatic, hard-working rangatira and he will be sadly missed. My condolences and aroha to his whānau and close friends who will be missing him dearly.
"Louis was born to be a leader. I think this proverb describes him well: 'Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua - Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead'.
"It was an honour spending time with Louis on council when we both became first term councillors. He worked tirelessly for his whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community. Louis was always busy but managed to make time if you needed him."
Maraenui Marae resounds to the sound of haka as pall bearers take the coffin from the marae. Photo: Troy Baker
Although Rapihana missed out on the Ōpōtiki mayoralty at last year's election, he had planned to stand again at the next local government elections in 2025.
Moore said although they had been opponents for the mayoralty, they had never been enemies and Rāpihana had been the first to phone and congratulate him on his win.
"We kept in contact, even though we both ran for mayor and he missed out on representing his beloved coast ward. We both ran for the same reasons. We didn't always agree on certain topics, but we were always able to leave those differences at the table."
Rāpihana was a sworn minister of the Ratana Church and even lent his oratory skills to the inaugural council meeting last year.
"It was very humbling to have Louis accept an invitation to attend the swearing in of myself as mayor and fellow councillors. Louis kindly opened the first council meeting with a karakia too," Moore said.
"Louis gifted me a greenstone taonga he made to help me in my journey as mayor that I will always treasure. Every time I represent our community, I do wear it and it will have extra meaning now to remind me of my friend Louis."
Maraenui Marae resounds to the sound of haka as pall bearers take the coffin from the marae. Photo: Troy Baker
Tributes have also poured in through social media for Rāpihana, including from East Coast MP Kiri Allan, who described him as "a man who gave his all to everything he did".
"A lot of locals don't realise how well known and liked he is in Local Government New Zealand, and even in central government around the country," Moore said.
Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
