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By Pokere Paewai and Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira of RNZ
Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp has been laid to rest on the grounds of a small church at Opaea Marae among the rolling hills of Taihape.
The Tāmaki Makaurau MP died suddenly last Thursday after battling a kidney disease. She was 50.
It prompted an outpouring of grief from fellow MPs and the public, who lamented the loss of a staunch advocate for rangatahi and South Auckland.
Kemp was taken to lie at Hoani Waititi Marae in West Auckland until Saturday morning, before travelling to Opaea Marae.
She was a descendant of Ngā Rauru and the iwi Mokai Patea, Ngāti Tamakōpiri, Ngāti Whitikaupeka, Ngāi Te Ohuake, Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Paki, Ngāti Hinemanu, and Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
Kemp hailed from the marae of Opaea, Moawhango and Winiata as well as Takirau Marae in the Waitōtara Valley of South Taranaki where she was raised by her grandparents for much of her childhood.
Hundreds of people attended today's nēhu, or burial service.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said Kemp was a "peaceful, soft, but strong leader for her people" and her strength came from places like Opaea.
"Here we are in one of the most rural parts in central North Island paying tribute to a woman who I want to acknowledge as I fighter for our people.
"But also where did that come from, and that comes from little small places like this, it comes from being brought up in a very strong Māori community and she died as she lived, serving our people."
In her eulogy, Kemp's sister, Leaara-Jade Kauika-Stevens, said throughout the tangi a tīwaiwaka, or fantail, could been seen listening to the kōrero from the paepae.
She dedicated a song to her sister, likening her to the bird which Māori say are messengers of the gods.
Richard Steedman was an uncle to Kemp and one of the speakers for Opaea Marae.
The iwi of Mokai Patea were immensely proud of her work in and out of Parliament, he said.
"That taonga has been plucked from us, the loss will be felt for a long, long time for us... it's an indescribable loss."
Steedman said the marae was not accustomed to the number of of manuhiri that have arrived to pay their respects.
He was grateful for the support of all the marae around Taihape, from the council and from local farmers who provided tractors and freed up their paddocks for parking.
"It's been hard, not myself particularly, but I know there are a lot of people doing a lot of mahi."
Opaea Marae trustee Cyril Mako earlier told RNZ he expected between 800 and 1200 people to attend the service. Hosting the masses in such a short time was tough but many whānau had pitched in to prepare the nēhu.
"If you'd been here five years ago we weren't actually functioning. It's an old marae, our toilet block had been pulled down and we were basically closed for a period of time."
Mako said they had to rely on the help of nearby marae - their whānau - with kai preparation and housing people who travelled for the burial service.
"They jumped at it, and we really appreciate it because we couldn't have done it ourselves."
Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins and other party members were welcomed on to the marae just after 9am today.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet media conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he would not be attending the tangi, but the National Party would be well represented.
Luxon also ruled out announcing a date for the Tāmaki Makarau by-election, triggered by Kemp's death, saying he wanted the week to be focused on her.
Speaking to media, Hipkins said he would not criticise Luxon for not attending - but the death of a sitting MP was rare.
The nēhu began at 11am and was streamed live online.
