[4] With her brother, she was sent to live with her maternal grandparents, Ngapera and Waretini Eparaima, in Auckland when her mother fell ill and died aged 27.

Mihinui died at her home in Rotorua on 26 June 2006,[7] and after her tangihanga at Te Pākira Marae she was buried at Kauae Cemetery, Ngongotahā.

[6] The prime minister, Helen Clark, paid tribute to Mihinui, saying: "She was a towering figure in Te Arawa and a respected kuia.

"[10]In the 1985 New Year Honours, Mihinui was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the tourist industry and the community.

[12] In the 2002 Queen's Birthday and Golden Jubilee Honours, she was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori, tourism and the community.

[13] In 2001, Mihinui received the Sir Jack Newman Award, in recognition of her contribution to tourism in New Zealand.