Merimeri Penfold, he Wahine Purotu no Ngati Kuri, mai te Hiku o Te Ika.
Merimeri was born and raised in Te Hapua and educated at Queen Victoria Girls School, Auckland.
She was an Educationalist and champion of Te Reo Maori Teaching at Auckland University where she was key in the establishment of Waipapa Marae.
Merimeri served as a foundation board member of NZ On Air from 1989 to 1991– naming it ‘Irirangi Te Motu’.
She had recently completed interviews for the Te Hiku Treaty settlement project.
It is significant that she passes as the Kuaka prepare to fly north from Te Hiku to Siberia for the northern hemisphere summer.
Ruia, ruia, tahia, tahia,
Kia hemo atu te kākoakoa,
Kia herea mai i te kawau korokī.
Kia tātaki mai i roto i te pūkorokoro, whaikoro, Te kūaka, he kūaka mārangaranga, Tahi manu i tau ki te tāhuna, tau atu, tau atu, tau atu!
Merimeri, e kui, kua haere koe ki tua o te ārai Kei te Kahurangi, ka waipuketia te ngākau e te roimata, e te aroha Ka tangi a Ngāti Kurī, Ka māpuna a Wikitoria, Ka mōwai a Waipapa Ko koe te tāhuhu o te reo, te poutokomanawa o te mātauranga Papaki tū ana ngā tai ki te Reinga Ko Rehua rāua ko Whitirea Ko te Ara Wairua ki Te Rerenga Wairua