Michael Laufiso (48), who started working in the Dunedin City Council’s community development team in 2006, is being farewelled at Araiteuru marae today. He died on Tuesday.
His family, council staff and Mayor Dave Cull praised him as a tireless servant for some of Dunedin’s less privileged communities and for Pacific and Maori culture.
His sister Marie Laufiso said he embodied a Samoan expression about leadership; O le ala i le malo o le tautua, which translates to "the path to leadership is service".
"There were so many endeavours and fields that he worked in to connect and help people," she said.
He had a strong connection to Brockville, where he lived, grew up and helped out with community groups.
He was always quietly working on ways to help others.
"But when he took time off, especially to spend time with his wife and their grandchild, he relaxed and he had fun."
He had a commitment as a Samoan to honour and respect Maori as tangata whenua.
"He was always frustrated about how disrespectful [some Pacific people] were of the tangata whenua. That kind of hurt him."
That was reflected in his choice of a marae for his funeral.
Some of his proudest achievements included working with Mr Cull and his predecessor Peter Chin when it came to working with the city’s gangs, and supporting a leadership programme for Maori youth.
He was a talented rugby player, but turned to rugby league after his mother called on him to quit the sport in protest against the New Zealand Cavaliers tour of South Africa in 1986.
This passion for sport continued later in life when he helped less privileged children to stay involved in sport.
Following her brother’s death, Ms Laufiso was taking a break from her campaign to become a Dunedin city councillor.
In a tribute, Mr Cull noted Michael was a staunch advocate for place-based community development, and would be remembered for supporting community-driven activities in Brockville, Caversham and other parts of the city.
He was strongly involved in supporting the city’s youth and more recently had a lead role in welcoming and supporting refugees.
Council community and planning group manager Nicola Pinfold said he was a warm and welcoming person who would be missed "immensely" at council "I can’t think of a person better suited to working in community development. Michael set people at ease and was a calm spirit in a pressured work environment."
