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Riki Te Mairaki Taiaroa Ellison

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TitleRiki Te Mairaki Taiaroa EllisonDescriptionRiki Ellison was born in Ōtākou, the son of Tini Wiwi Taiaroa and Dr Edward Pohau Ellison of Te Atiawa. He was a great-great grandson of chief Te Matenga Taiaroa and great grandson of the Member of Parliament Hori Kerei Taiaroa. When Ellison’s father was assigned to work in the Chatham Islands, Riki was raised by his great-grandmother Tini Te Kae Taiaroa and his uncle Riki Te Mairaki Taiaroa who later legally adopted him and he was brought up at Awhitu House, Taumutu. He remained here all his life apart from his war-time experience overseas. He was educated at Sedgemere School and Southbridge District High School and attended a farm training course at Lincoln Agricultural College. During the Second World War he served with the RNZAF after enlisting in 1942. After his return he carried on with farming at Taumutu. He was a member of many Māori organisations including the New Zealand Māori Council, Te Wai Pounamu Māori District Council, and the South Island Aotearoa Bishopric Council. He also chaired the Canterbury Māori Council Executive.

In Taumutu he chaired the Upoko Runanga of Taumutu, was patron of the Māori Women’s Welfare League Taumutu Branch and was a member of the Ellesmere College Board of Governors. Riki was awarded the QSO for community services and was a Justice of the Peace. John Wilson writes in his obituary that 'Mr Ellison was widely recognised as one of the South Island’s most prominent authorities on Māori matters, having been steeped in Māori history and lore by the great-grandmother and granduncle who brought him up. He was greatly loved for his humble, unfailingly courteous manners and for his willingness to treat everyone he met with love and respect. He was active in a wide range of Māori and other community organisations and was widely consulted by all parts of the community on matters pertaining to South Island life.' Riki died at 68 in Cromwell.Date of Birth1916Date of Death1984

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Image sourced from the collection of Peter Winton Johns, at https://www.geni.com/people/Riki-te-Mairaki-Ellison/6000000020555791137

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More InformationObituary of Riki Ellison Last edited by: Sarah Davy

Read Riki Ellison's obituary by Helen Brown on Kareao at Ngāi Tahu Archives Last edited by: Sarah Davy

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Riki Te Mairaki Taiaroa Ellison