Maoridom is mourning the loss of life-long educator and leader, Iria Marama Whiu, who died yesterday in Ruatoki.
In the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours, Iria Marama Whiu was recognised as Member of the New Zealand Merit for her services to education and Maori.
Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell said she gave her life to education.
He said Iria Marama Whiu dedicated over 40 years to the profession as a classroom teacher and earned the distinctive honour of being elected as the first Maori president of the New Zealand Educational Institute in 1995.
She will lie in state at Hairini Marae in Tauranga.
