Irish-New Zealand actor Sam Neill died in Sydney, Australia, on July 13. He was 78. His family shared the news in an Instagram statement. No cause of death was given.“It is with immense sadness that the whanau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney, Australia. Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life. The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer-free.”According to the online Māori dictionary, the noun form of the word “whanau” refers to “family,” more specifically: “Extended family, family group, a familiar term of address to a number of people - the primary economic unit of traditional Māori society. In the modern context, the term is sometimes used to include friends who may not have any kinship ties to other members.”There is also a verb form of “whanau” which means “to be born” or “give birth.”The statement added:“They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care. More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss.” View this post on Instagram Instagram PostExploring further the definition of “Whanau” amid Sam Neill’s passingThe TeAra.govt.nz explores the origin and evolution of the word “whanau.” While often translated as simply “family,” it has a more “complex” definition and includes physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. The website states:“Whanau can be multi-layered, flexible and dynamic. Whanau is based on a Māori and a tribal world view. It is through the whānau that values, histories and traditions from the ancestors are adapted for the contemporary world.”It continues:“Whanau are part of an interconnected world of tribe and sub-tribe, of the living and the dead. Although whanau members may live far apart or even overseas, their ties remain strong.”The expression can include relationships with “whangai” or foster children and others who have “passed on.” Certain roles and responsibilities are attributed to individuals and groups who identify as a “whanau.”“The most important features of whanau that distinguish it from family and other social groupings are whakapapa, spirituality and the responsibility to marae and hapū,” the site explains.Over the centuries, the meaning of whanau has varied. Once it referred to a “domestic group occupying a common set of buildings.” Another category called it a “social and economic unit” responsible for the daily domestic life, production, and consumption of the members.However, the most common one referred to a family group comprising three generations led by a patriarch, his wife, and their descendants.“In the 21st century, many whanau with members living around the world kept in touch through social networking sites and other websites,” it cites.Factors dividing whanau include divorce and separation, cross-cultural marriage, distance, and death.In brief, about Sam Neill’s cancer battleSam Neill announced in March 2023 that he was diagnosed with stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, a year ago, and had been undergoing chemotherapy ever since. He informed his fans that he first noticed swollen glands during the promotion of Jurassic World Dominion.Sam Neill went into remission but noted that he would need to undergo monthly chemotherapy for the rest of his life. During his year-long hiatus, the Northern Ireland-born actor wrote his memoir, Did I Ever Tell You This?“I’m not afraid to die, but it would annoy me. Because I’d really like another decade or two, you know? We’ve built all these lovely terraces, we’ve got these olive trees and cypresses, and I want to be around to see it all mature. And I’ve got my lovely little grandchildren. I want to see them get big. But as for the dying? I couldn’t care less.”Mr Neill said he “dreaded” retirement, adding:“Some of it is to do with coming from a little place, the most obscure place in the world, as far from anything as you could get, and being asked to do something with an international dimension. How immensely seductive is that?”In April of this year, Sam Neill shared via social media that his chemotherapy stopped working and he was part of a clinical trial in Australia and was undergoing CAR T-cell therapy. At the time, he revealed his scans show he was cancer-free after nearly four years. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostSam Neill, who grew up in New Zealand, is best known for appearing in Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, and Taika Waititi’s Thor franchises. He also starred in Roger Donaldson’s 1977 action film Sleeping Dogs and Gillian Armstrong’s My Brilliant Career two years later. In the 1980s, he was seen in Hollywood horror flicks including Possession and Omen III: The Final Conflict.During his five-decade-long career, Sam Neill made a name for himself in American, Australian, British, and New Zealand television and movies. In fact, he worked with A-listers like Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, and Nicole Kidman. He received a Golden Globe nomination for the 12-part miniseries, Reilly: Ace of Spies, and appeared in the Oscar-winning movie The Piano.In the 1990s, he was an Officer of the Order of the British Empire and was honored with a knighthood in 2022, becoming Sir Sam Neill.His final appearances were in the Netflix series Untamed and the Binge original The Twelve.During his later years, Neill ran the Two Paddocks winery near his home in Central Otago and also owned a farm.According to Variety, Sam was twice divorced, once from British-New Zealand actress Lisa Harrow and later from makeup artist Noriko Watanabe. He is survived by son Tim, daughter Elena, adopted daughter Maiko from Watanabe’s first marriage, and son Andrew, whom he fathered in his early 20s and who was later adopted by another couple. Neill reunited with his firstborn in the 90s. He also has multiple grandchildren.