KōtukuTibble
- Broadcaster
Broadcaster, teacher and Māori language advocate Kōtuku Tibble spent his life championing te reo. Tibble boasted a diverse CV — he had a hand in the launch of te reo pop group, Aaria, taught around the North Island for 28 years, and presented shows for television and radio over more than a decade. The father of two passed away on 24 September 2017, at the age of 53.
Screenography
Biography
Kōtuku Tibble was teaching a high school class in 2016 when he suffered a cardiac arrest and died for 20 minutes. He survived, and this second chance at life spurred him on to continue championing te reo with new vigour.
Tibble believed his ancestors had sent him back to make peace with those he loved, and to leave a legacy. He returned to his marae in the Manawatū, to be "nourished by my language, my customs, my marae, by my genealogy and to give love to others."
“Kōtuku was a stalwart for te reo Māori and celebrated for his bilingual, bicultural, charming, witty ‘Ngāti’ personality. He was truly unforgettable.”