We were saddened to learn of the passing of Tumanako Wereta, the long-time Chair of the Tuaropaki Trust, a pioneering Maori trust in the North Island of New Zealand. In recent years, Berkeley Social Welfare and the Goldman School of Public Policy have developed a close relationship with the Tuaropaki Trust. The trust has funded environmental research in the Goldman School of Public Policy and sent young Maori leaders to Berkeley each year for semester-long leadership training.
Tumanako Wereta was a visionary leader both of the Trust and of the entire Maori community in New Zealand, and a close friend of Dean Jeff Edleson and his wife Sudha Shetty.
To quote from the statement issued by the Tuaropaki Trust:
"Tumanako served on the Trust for almost 40 years and held the Chairmanship for 17 years. During his tenure he was committed to extending the legacy left to him by the previous Chairs. He saw this as his duty and dedicated his time on the Board to upholding their vision. Tumanako carried with him the astuteness, humor, leadership, humility, and faith of those before him, the key elements to what he coined 'The Tuaropaki Way'. His style was his own, developed over time and grounded in people. He had an uncanny ability to relate to people from all walks of life and this was his most endearing quality... In a life well-travelled he was a great friend and mentor to many."