Henare James Clendon Tau 1946 1963

edmondsallan - hello - I repeat my writings , so many can be proud . He was indeed a great man with much mana among his people .
Declining an offer from Te Puea Herangi of a Waikato farm and a leadership role amongst her people, he returned to his farm at Motatau. Apart from a period in Auckland as district Maori welfare officer (1951–56) with responsibility for Auckland city, South Auckland and Tai Tokerau, he was to live at Motatau until the mid 1970s, when he retired to Kawiti, near Orauta.
James Henare’s post-war life was marked by a commitment to public service, education and leadership of his people. His father had fought for recognition of the Treaty of Waitangi throughout his life, and James continued this commitment, stating, ‘It is the burden of Taitokerau to argue the Treaty’. He had been a member of Te Runanga o te Tiriti o Waitangi, a committee of descendants of the chiefs who signed the treaty, from 1928; at the time of his death he was its only surviving member. He had known the sons of men who had signed the treaty, and believed the signatory chiefs knew what was at stake and saw the document as tapu. It was, he argued, the mana of the treaty that allowed Pakeha to live in New Zealand. Just as his father had a close relationship with Te Puea, so did James with the Maori King, Koroki, and his successor, Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.
Henare was emphatic that New Zealanders had to become truly bicultural before they could become multicultural, and he was critical of certain Pakeha attitudes and condescension. He saw Maori values of personal relationships, relaxed lifestyles, hospitality and creative skills as beneficial to the country as a whole. Although not regarded as an activist, Henare had strong views, which he invariably explained in a reasoned manner. He was not greatly concerned about the heat generated by debates on the treaty as he believed there were reserves of goodwill on both sides. His personal mana was marked by a statesmanlike demeanour, a positive adherence to Maori values and an unfailing courtesy.
Ideologically he was inclined to a liberal outlook rather than a rigid adherence to party politics. After standing unsuccessfully for the New Zealand National Party in Northern Maori in 1946, he was asked by Prime Minister Peter Fraser to stand for the New Zealand Labour Party in 1949; Henare declined as he felt that a successful bid could be seen as opportunism. When the sitting member for Northern Maori, T. P. Paikea, died in 1963, Henare contested the seat for National, but lost by 454 votes to Labour’s Matiu Rata.
Not many have lived a life, like this member of our extended family.
Till we meet again -Regards -edmondsallan