How did Te Arawa Leader Sir Toby Curtis die? Cause of death explained

At age 83, Sir Toby Curtis passed away. Te Arawa’s most formidable totara has lost his position.

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How did Kaumātua and education pioneer Sir Toby Curtis die?

Sir Nopera Tamihana Curtis (Toby), 83, passed away this morning in the presence of his family at his residence on Lake Rotoiti.

At the age of 82, the revered leader and kaumatua resigned from his position as president of the Te Arawa Lakes Trust, claiming that he had accomplished many of his goals.

Piki Thomas, a member of the group in charge of planning the tangihanga for Sir Toby, declared that he was trying to give the man the proper send-off.

The situation is unquestionably tragic for Ngti Pikiao, Ngti Rongomai, and the Te Arawa whnau.

Sir Toby Curtis cause of death

Sir Toby Curtis (Ngti Pikiao, Ngti Rongomai, Te Arawa), a renowned kaumtua and a trailblazing educator, passed away peacefully this morning at his Lake Rotoiti home. He was 83 years old. cause of death still unknown.

For his entire life, Curtis fought for education and te reo Mori. He served as Te Arawa Lakes Trust’s chair for 16 years before quitting in April of that year.

Taa Toby held the positions of deputy vice chancellor at the Auckland University of Technology and vice-principal at the Auckland Teachers College.

When our kids are taught te reo, we don’t have this,
Curtis said in 2018.

Te Reo Mori, according to the educator, is the vital link that unites Mori with their tpuna and whakapapa and fosters tauiwi awareness of Te Ao Mori.

Who was Sir Toby Curtis?

Sir Toby was a teacher, a fervent supporter of Mori te reo, the initiator of numerous Mori broadcasting projects, and the executive director of the Te Arawa Lakes Trust.

The youngest of James and Taipapaki Curtis’ 15 children, Nopera Tamihana Curtis was born in Lake Rotehu on November 13, 1939.

His parents wanted him to do well in school, but that also meant actively discouraging Mori te reo.

Ta Toby said that his parents protected him from suffering the same consequences as his older siblings, who were expelled from school for speaking Mori.

They made an extra effort to prevent me from speaking Mori, he claimed.

“Our parents believed that speaking better English was the only way we could succeed academically and that speaking Mori wouldn’t help us achieve success in school.”

His parents sent him to St. Peter’s Mori College for boarding when he finished elementary school, with the intention that he would leave at the conclusion of fourth form to work as an electrical apprentice in Rotorua.

Instead, his parents were persuaded to keep him in school, and to make that happen they sold a portion of their Rotoehu property.

“When I reflect, I’m not sure how my parents and other parents in the neighbourhood were able to raise their children in such a successful manner. Looking back, one can only be so appreciative, “In that interview from 2014, he stated.

“I suppose it was pretty firmly ingrained in us that in order to express our gratitude, we needed to accomplish something.”

So he did.

Sir Toby’s Leadership Roles in his career

Throughout his career, Sir Toby has held a number of executive posts, most notably in the broadcasting and education industries.

In 2014, Sir Toby received a knighthood for his contributions to Maori education.

He has worked with the trust for 16 years, assisting it in carrying out its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi settlement to promote the recovery and wellbeing of the lakes in the area. He has also guided the trust as it has expanded its function within the iwi, especially over the past three years.

Before becoming Headmaster of Hato Petera College and Deputy Headmaster of Auckland Teachers’ College, he began his career as an elementary school teacher and worked with students who had intellectual difficulties.

He served as the Auckland College of Education’s Director of Primary Teacher Education during the 1990s, Dean of the Auckland Institute of Technology, and Vice Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology beginning in 2000.

In 1997, he was named president of Te Mngai Pho, the Maori broadcasting organisation. He was also very active in Maori broadcasting.

In the late 1980s, he served as the chair of a Maori broadcast advisory council, which helped launch Radio Aotearoa, iwi radio stations, and Maori television.

Sir Toby Curtis funeral

In a statement this morning, Sir Toby’s family stated that he will stay at home with them right away before being transported to his marae, Rakeiao, on Lake Rotoiti, on Friday at 10 a.m.

We anticipate a large meeting in Rakeiao and will close Curtis Rd and run shuttle services between the dedicated parking area and the marae. Local Maori guards will help with directions, but please allow extra time for parking and transport to the marae

As soon as the burial date was made public, Curtis’ whnau extended a warm welcome to everyone who wanted to celebrate the life of his rangatira in Rakeiao.

Contact Dennis Curtis at 021 281 6016 or Piki Thomas at 027 244 8784 so that as many people as possible can pay their respects. They will coordinate each rp.

Curtis shared his fantasy of a time when Mori and Pkeh objectives were met via shared cultural understanding in his final interview with Stuff in April.

They are unable to communicate in Te Reo, grasp our cultural values, or respect our preferences for the future of younger generations.

He thought about how everyone who is Mori now can speak English and pronounce English words perfectly, and he hoped that tauiwi speaking Mori will someday be able to say the same.

I’m eagerly anticipating the day when all Pkeh, both youngsters and adults, are able to pronounce every Mori word, he remarked.

Although there isn’t much cell phone service at the marae, tangi and whai krero will be detailed live broadcasts for those who can’t join us (kanohi ki te kanohi) (face to face).

Please wear face masks, use the hand sanitizer offered, and remain home to watch the live stream if you are muiui to help keep everyone safe (especially our fragile koeke).

The whanau politely ask that at this time, inquiries regarding the tangi not be made directly to them. Complete information will be available here.

Tribute to Sir Toby Curtis, education giant

Thomas added that while if Sir Toby’s death was not unexpected because he had been ill for a while, it was nonetheless tragic to lose the guy who “gave access to the halls of power.”

He claimed that he opposed the existing quo in order to benefit Maori.

He was an extremely unique individual.

Taa Toby’s death, according to Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick, would be felt deeply both locally and nationally.

“It was an honour to have the chance to spend time with him at his house during the past few weeks. He was a wonderful leader and a close friend.

He also had a strong sense of loyalty to his whnau, his whenua, his people, and our nation.

On a personal level, he gave me assistance whenever I needed it in my capacity as a lawmaker and gave wise counsel in my capacity as mayor.

She claimed that he was a fervent supporter of the new alliance between Te Arawa and the Rotorua district’s Lakes Council, which was adopted in 2015. He believed that it would enable considerable mana whenua participation in decisions for the Rotorua district.

Taa Toby was a man who thought it was crucial to change the world, and he did.

Sir Toby, according to White, has always placed a priority on furthering the interests of his people.

“I believe his dying wish was for our people to grow stronger and more together in our pursuit of a common goal.”

White claimed that Sir Toby’s efforts have improved the futures of young people.

“I’d like to assume that the legacy of our leaders will go on.”

Taa Toby, according to Karen Vercoe, chief executive of Te Arawa Lakes Trust, was a fantastic leader who cared deeply for Rotorua’s lakes and young people.

“It’s difficult to express the mana of someone who has accomplished so much,”

Vercoe listed his academic work on the effects of colonialism as one of his accomplishments. Taa Toby’s tangi will be busy, she added, adding, “We’re going to miss him.”

She claimed that the trust had acknowledged the service he had rendered to both the Maori and the tribe.

Todd McClay, a Rotorua MP, expressed his sadness over Sir Toby’s passing.

I saw him as a close friend and we talked frequently about Rotorua issues and politics
McClay told the Rotorua Daily Post.

How did Te Arawa Leader Sir Toby Curtis die? Cause of death explained

“I sincerely regret his passing. His family is in my heart and mind.

According to McClay, the community suffered greatly from Sir Toby’s passing.