Dr Sir Noble Tamihana (Toby) Curtis, 1939–2022
Kua hinga te tōtara ki te Wao Nui a Tāne. The totara has falled in the forest of Tane.
Moe mai, moe mai, moe mai rā e te rangatira. Rest in peace, chief.
Oratia Books joins with the Curtis whānau, friends, colleagues and Te Arawa iwi in mourning Dr Sir Toby Curtis (Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Pikiao), who passed away on 17 August.
Knowing that he was unwell, over the past year Sir Toby worked with friend and colleague Lorraine Berridge McLeod to record his life story and views on key areas from his stellar career — especially Māori education and leadership, and his experience of racism.
His unique memoir intersperses biography with text boxes that analyse key issues like the loss of te reo, religious colonisation, educational underachievement and broadcasting policy.
As Tā Toby’s health failed, Toby, Lorraine and the Oratia team pulled forward publication of his book. Sadly time was against us publishing before he passed, but at least he saw the book away to the printers.
Toby Curtis — Unfinished Business: Ki hea āpōpō will publish on 17 November this year, three months after Toby’s passing.
It will stand as his legacy to the nation he loved, and sets out a wero (challenge) — as the subtitle indicates, he felt his life’s business to be unfinished. The book concludes by enjoining coming generations to carry on his work, quoting Te Arawa orator, Kepa Ehau:
Whaia ko te mātauranga
Hai whitiki mo te iwi
Me ngā uri
Ka toa ai.
Pursue the wisdom of knowledge
So your efforts and achievements
May be the springboard
For future generations to thrive and prosper.