Eruera Tirikatene

Sir Eruera Tirikatene
Tirikatene in c.1950s
16th Minister of Forests
In office
12 December 1957 – 12 December 1960
Prime MinisterWalter Nash
Preceded byGeoff Gerard
Succeeded byGeoff Gerard
Minister without portfolio
In office
26 May 1943 – 13 December 1949
Prime MinisterPeter Fraser
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Southern Maori
In office
3 August 1932 – 11 January 1967
Preceded byTuiti Makitanara
Succeeded byWhetu Tirikatene-Sullivan
Personal details
Born(1895-01-05)5 January 1895
Te Rakiwhakaputa pā, Kaiapoi, New Zealand
Died11 January 1967(1967-01-11) (aged 72)
Kaiapoi, New Zealand
Resting placeTe Kai A Te Atua Urupa, Kaiapoi.
SpouseRuti Matekino Solomon
RelationsWhetu Tirikatene-Sullivan (daughter)
Rino Tirikatene (grandson)
Children12

Sir Eruera Tihema Te Aika Tirikatene KCMG (5 January 1895 – 11 January 1967) was a New Zealand Māori politician of Ngāi Tahu descent. Known in early life as Edward James Te Aika Tregerthen, he was the first Rātana Member of Parliament and was elected in a by-election for Southern Maori in June 1932 after the death of Tuiti Makitanara.

He remained the MP until his death in 1967, when his daughter Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan succeeded to the seat, also in a by-election.