He poroporoaki ki a Hone Papita Raukura Ralph Hotere - na Haerewa

‘Kotahi kapua ki te rangi, kua marangai ki te whenua.’

He waiata na to hoa Dame Kāterina Te Heikoko Mataira.

E te rangatira Ralph

I hara mai koe ki toku taha, me o rakau e rua,

Tetahi he pene rakau, tetahi he paraehe, ka ki mai koe.

“Ma te pene e tuhi ou whakaaro, ma te paraehe e whaikorero.”

You came to my side with two sticks in your hands a pencil and a brush and said, “the pencil will scribble your thoughts and the brush will make them speak.”

Such sage advice from a master of his craft, to an aspiring art student in 1961, when Ralph was the itinerant art teacher in Northland.

How poignant are those words as we reflect on his legacy of awe-inspiring works that speak volumes in the international galleries, offices and numerous homes of Hotere admirers.

It is with heavy hearts of sadness that we of Haerewa Māori Advisory Group, Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Art Gallery, deeply mourn the passing of our greatest contemporary artist.

Though exceedingly private, Ralph's indelible charm and penchant for witty intelligent conversation, afforded many stimulating discussions among friends, which undoubtedly emanated into conceptual expressions for his works.

Na te tini, me te hohonu o ana kaupapa mahi Toi, kore rawa e mutu nga maumahara mo tenei tohunga o tenei Ao Hou.

Ralph. E tuohu nei matou ki a koe, ki to whanau, me to iwi,

Mamae ana te ngakau, turuturu nga roimata, i to wehenga,

Haere atu, haere hangai ki o tupuna, ki o hoa kei tua o te arai  kohurangi,

Ki te ao wairua, okioki ai.

Takoto mai, takoto mai, takoto mai.

Arohanui

HAEREWA - Mere Lodge, Bernard Makoare, Lisa Reihana, Fred Graham, Jonathan Mane-wheoki, Elizabeth Ellis.

Image: Tukaki wharenui, Te Kaha-nui-a-tiki marae, Te Kaha. Marilyn Webb and Ralph Hotere. Brown Rewiti (right). June 1973. Māori Artists and Writers / Nga Puna Waihanga Series by John Miller, gelatin silver print toned with gold, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2001