Hundreds of people are expected to gather in Taihape today to farewell Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Moana Natasha Kemp who died last week, aged 50, following a battle with kidney disease.

A Rātana service will be held at Ōpaea Marae around 11am before Kemp is laid to rest. All Te Pāti Māori MPs are at today’s service, along with a cohort of MPs from Labour, including leader Chris Hipkins.

A livestream of the service can be viewed from the top of this article.

Speaking outside the marae, Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said he was proud to have been a part of the last chapter Kemp’s life.

“It’s a sad day today and we will miss Tarsh. We will go back to that House to an empty seat; we will go back to the House to an empty office. So we mourn with Tarsh’s whānau today, we mourn with te iwi Māori because they’ve lost a soldier.”

Kemp was a “silent leader” with a soft-nature.

“She wasn’t one that would shout from the rooftops. Her strength didn’t come from how loud she could shout, but actually how fierce she could rise to the occasion.

“Being in parliament, that would intimidate many people and so although she was a soft-natured person, she could rise in a place like that where the lions would roar and the taniwha would face you head on.

“We will miss her.”

Mourners are gathering at Ōpaea Marae in Taihape. Photo / Julia Gabel

Ōpaea Marae in Taihape. Photo / Julia Gabel

In the hours after her passing, Kemp’s party said they were devastated and heartbroken by the loss.

“Takutai was more than a colleague to us, she was our sister, and we loved her dearly.”

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is not attending the service today but said there had been good representation from his MPs at the marae near Taihape already. That included Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka, Rangitīkei MP Suze Redmayne, New Plymouth MP David MacLeod, Maungakiekie MP Greg Fleming and Whanganui MP Carl Bates.

Te Pāti Māori MPs (from left): Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi, and the late Takutai "Tarsh" Kemp.

Kemp’s passing shocked Parliament. Flags flew at half-mast and flowers were placed on her bench in the House. Tributes from politicians highlighted her dedication to helping young people through dance, particularly in South Auckland.

Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp's Parliament bench adorned with flowers and a party flag on the day of her passing. Photo / Mark Mitchell

In 2021, Kemp received the New Zealand Order of Merit for her years of services. In her maiden speech at Parliament, Kemp said she had grown so close with many of the young people that they called her “Aunty” or “Mum”.

Manurewa MP Arena Williams said Kemp “always had an open door for young people”.

“There will be a lot of South Aucklanders who will really feel this, who will really miss having someone like this.”

Labour’s Willie Jackson said Kemp was a “beautiful soul” with a vivacious, passionate personality and an “absolute powerhouse” in her work for Manurewa Marae. Kemp was the chief executive prior to becoming an MP.

“As the CEO, she was at the forefront of Whānau Ora, rangatahi, Māori development, community development, you name it, and Tarsh was doing it.”

Kemp was a first-term MP. She beat incumbent Peeni Henare (Labour) in the Tāmaki Makaurau seat by 42 votes in the 2023 election. Henare was visibly emotional at Parliament in the hours after Kemp’s passing, saying the pair had called each other brother and sister.

“It is truly shocking ... when I think about our sister, her passion was for our young people and ... she loved her mokopuna [grandchildren]. We were up at Matariki on Friday and she literally said, ‘I can’t wait to get home to my mokopuna’.”

Labour MP Peeni Henare receiving a hug from Act MP Karen Chhour after tribute speeches to Te Pāti Māori MP Takutai Tarsh Kemp in Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Te Pāti Māori said “Takutai devoted every last breath” to the movement for Māori liberation. Kemp was on the front benches at Parliament alongside Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris the day before she died.

“Even as serious illness weighed on her, she continued to stand in the House, in our homes, on our marae and in our communities – relentlessly championing the rights and wellbeing of our people."

Kemp also worked with the University of Auckland to develop a Rangatahi Mental Health Youth Hub in Manurewa to address the high suicide rates among young Māori.

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.