A much-loved contractor and kaumātua at Refining NZ and later at Channel Infrastructure has succumbed to his long battle with cancer.

Napo Henare passed away last week, surrounded by his whānau, and his body was taken through the Channel Infrastructure at Ruakākā before his tangi at Mōtatau Marae on Friday.

The company flags flew at half mast as a sign of respect the whole week.

Henare, 80, grew up in Mōtatau and dedicated more than 33 years to the refinery with his company Henare Contractors. When his contract with the refinery ended in 2011, he promised to come back in his role as kaumātua.

When Sjoerd Post became CEO of the refinery in 2013, he recognised the need to engage properly with mana whenua. As a Dutchman, he felt he needed support, and engaged the assistance of Henare – who in turn wanted to build a cultural support network whose operations eventually became a key part of refinery tikanga.

Henare enlisted the support of Damian Murray, Cory Abraham and Sarah Clarke, who became Refining NZ’s kuia. Together they built the Awhina group, which has over the years helped coach and assist the refinery management with mana whenua, and acted as cultural advisors.

Channel Infrastructure did its first hangi on site on February 9 in honour of Henare. At the time, then refinery chief executive Naomi James said the hangi acknowledged Henare’s incredible contribution over many years.

“He started as a digger driver in the 1970s, then went on to establish his own business and came to support the refinery chief executives in the last 12 years in how we make sure we are incorporating Māori ways and culture in how we do business. He has been a special person on the site.”

Henare moved to Ruakākā in 1969 with his wife Shirley and two sons.

His first job was milking cows and he later started his own quarry, swinging a 10-pound hammer to feed his family.

He then moved to the refinery and established Henare Construction at Marsden Point.