Piri Sciascia
Piri Sciascia | |
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![]() Sciascia in 2017 | |
Born | Piri John Ngarangikaunuhia Sciascia 6 November 1946 Porangahau, New Zealand |
Died | 18 January 2020 | (aged 73)
Piri John Ngarangikaunuhia Sciascia ONZM (6 November 1946 – 18 January 2020) was a New Zealand Māori leader, kapa haka exponent, and university administrator. From 2016 until his death, he served as kaumātua and advisor to the governor-general and government of New Zealand.
Early life and family
Born at Porangahau on 6 November 1946, Sciascia was the son of Frank la Basse and Maymorn Sciascia.[1] He was of Māori and Italian descent,[2] and affiliated to Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Ngāti Raukawa, and Rangitāne.[1] Sciascia was eduated at Te Aute College, and then studied at the University of Otago, completing a BSc in 1968 and Bachelor of Arts in 1971.[1] He later completed a BA(Hons) at Victoria University of Wellington in 1977, and a Diploma of Teaching at Palmerston North Teachers' College in 1981.[1]
In 1973, Sciascia married Gaylene Ann Wilson, and the couple went on to have five children.[1]
Academic and public service career
Sciascia was a lecturer at Palmerston North Teachers' College from 1975 until 1981, before serving as a director of the Council for Maori and South Pacific Arts from 1981 to 1989.[1] In 1989, he joined the Department of Conservation (DOC) as assistant director-general kaupapa Māori, serving in that role until 1991, when he became assistant director-general of DOC.[1]
In 2000, Sciascia was appointed assistant vice-chancellor (Māori) at Victoria University of Wellington, later becoming pro vice-chancellor (Māori) and then, in 2014, deputy vice-chancellor (Māori), in which role he served until 2016.[2]
Māori arts
Sciascia toured with the Maori Theatre Trust in the 1970s, and founded the Ngāti Kahungunu kapa haka group, Tamatea Ariki Nui, in 1977.[1][2] He was the latter group's leader, tutor and composer until 1991.[1]
He was a member of the organising committee for the international exhibition Te Maori, which toured the United States and New Zealand from 1984 to 1987, and also contributed to the exhibition's catalogue.[1] He also served on the committee of the Aotearoa Maori Festival of Arts, the Rūnanganui o Ngāti Kahungunu Arts Board, and as chair of the Māori Broadcast Funding Agency, Te Māngai Pāho.[1][3]
Later life and death
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Piri_Sciascia%2C_Barack_Obama_and_Te_Amohaere_Morehu.jpg/220px-Piri_Sciascia%2C_Barack_Obama_and_Te_Amohaere_Morehu.jpg)
After retiring from Victoria in 2016, Sciascia held the position of kaumātua to the governor-general, prime minister and Cabinet, giving advice on Māori protocol and language, and assisting in hosting visiting dignitaries.[2][3] He died on 18 January 2020.[2]
Honours and awards
In 1990, Sciascia was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[1] In the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori arts.[4]
Sciascia received the Keeper of Traditions award at the 2008 Waiata Māori Music Awards,[2] and a Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka (Sir Kingi Ihaka Award) in 2016 in recognition of his lifetime contribution to Māori arts.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 329. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kaumātua and leader Piri Sciascia dies". Stuff.co.nz. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Kahungunu rangatira Piri Sciascia passes away". Te Ao Māori News. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2013". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- ^ "Te Waka Toi awards". CreativeNZ. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
- 1946 births
- 2020 deaths
- People from the Hawke's Bay Region
- Ngāti Kahungunu
- Ngāi Tahu
- Kāti Māmoe
- Ngāti Raukawa
- Rangitāne
- New Zealand people of Italian descent
- People educated at Te Aute College
- University of Otago alumni
- Victoria University of Wellington alumni
- Massey University alumni
- Massey University faculty
- New Zealand public servants
- New Zealand Māori artists
- Victoria University of Wellington faculty
- Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit