Archie Taiaroa

{{Short description|New Zealand Māori leader (1937–2010)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2016}}

File:Archie Taiaroa KNZM (cropped).jpg

Sir Archie John Te Atawhai Taiaroa {{post-nominals|country=NZL|KNZM|size=85%}} (3 January 1937 – 21 September 2010) was a New Zealand Māori leader who affiliated to the Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Apa and Ngāti Maru iwi.{{cite news | url=http://tvnz.co.nz/waka-huia/archie-taiaroa-13-dec-3249693 | title=Archie Taiaroa | date=13 December 2009 | work=Waka Huia | accessdate=12 April 2016}} He chaired the Whanganui River Maori Trust Board{{cite news | url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=3003849 |title=Genesis meets iwi on river claim |date=12 November 2002 | work= The New Zealand Herald |accessdate=12 April 2016 |first=Audrey |last=Young }} and Te Ohu Kaimoana, the latter for five years.{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/4152820/Sir-Archie-Taiaroa-dies-after-stroke | title=Sir Archie Taiaroa dies after stroke | date=22 September 2010 | work=The Dominion Post | accessdate=12 April 2016 | first=Julie | last=Ash}} He lived for a long time at Taumarunui, where he was a borough councillor and deputy mayor.{{cite news |last=Donoghue |first=Tim |date=27 September 2010 |title=Maori statesman known for his humour |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/obituaries/4167516/Maori-statesman-known-for-his-humour |access-date=11 December 2021 |newspaper=Dominnion Post |via=Stuff}}

Taiaroa was born at Tawatā (Tawhata), on the Whanganui River, about 40 kilometres by road south-west of Taumarunui. He had an older brother, Raymond Te Rumana (Lofty) Taiaroa. He attended Tawata School, St Patrick's Convent School in Taumarunui, Hato Paora College near Feilding and the University of Canterbury. He married Martha Turner, of a leading Ngāti Tūwharetoa family,{{cite news |title=Lady Taiaroa, 75, to be laid to rest |date=27 April 2015 |url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/whanganui-chronicle/news/lady-taiaroa-75-to-be-laid-to-rest/EUECGTWLEHUQFECBEB6VMICMKY/ |newspaper=Whanganui Chronicle |via=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=11 December 2021}} in 1965 and they had a son, Te Hokowhitu-a-Rākeipoho Taiaroa, known as Rākeipoho Taiaroa.

He died of a stroke in Hamilton on 21 September 2010. He was buried at Poumaanu urupā (cemetery) at Tawatā.