Piri Sciascia

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Piri Sciascia
Porangahau, New Zealand
Died18 January 2020(2020-01-18) (aged 73)
SpouseGaylene Ann Sciascia
RelativesTākuta Ferris (nephew)

Piri John Ngarangikaunuhia Sciascia

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, Ngati maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa, and Rangitāne.[1] Sciascia was educated 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] Tākuta Ferris is his nephew.[3]

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][4]

Later life and death

Sciascia (left) and Te Amohaere Morehu accompanying Barack Obama at a pōwhiri (welcoming ceremony) at Government House, Auckland, in March 2018

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][4] He died on 18 January 2020.[2]

Honours and awards

In 1990, Sciascia was awarded the

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori arts.[5]

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.[6]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-908578-34-2
    .
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Kaumātua and leader Piri Sciascia dies". Stuff.co.nz. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  3. Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu
    . 10 May 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Kahungunu rangatira Piri Sciascia passes away". Te Ao Māori News. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2013". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  6. ^ "Te Waka Toi awards". CreativeNZ. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
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