Date:  23 September 2018

He Rāhui

He aituā! He aituā!

He takanga ki Te Wai ā-moe kua riro rā.

Tēnei ngā uri te karanga atu ki ngā mana, ki tapu kia rāhuitia ngā pāpāringa o Te Wai ā-moe.

It is with sadness that the iwi of Ruapehu: Uenuku, Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Rangi, acknowledge the fatal accident where a hiker fell in to Te Wai ā-moe on Saturday 22 September 2018.

As a result of this accident, a rāhui has been placed on the Te Wai ā-moe area and will be lifted at sunrise on Wednesday 26 September 2018. This rāhui is supported by the Department of Conservation and Ruapehu Alpine Lifts.

A rāhui (physical and spiritual protection mechanism) is a tool to manage human activity around a site where there has been loss of life. It sets a temporary prohibition around the rāhui area and limits access for that period. By placing a rāhui over the area it:

• acknowledges the death and is a way to express our sympathy to the whānau of the deceased
• ensures that safety mechanisms are in place; and
• provides time for tapu (sacredness) to dissipate following the death.

This provides time for healing and recovery of the natural elements at place and people, in particular the grieving whānau.   

To show respect, all climbers, trampers and skiers are asked not to go above the boundaries of the ski areas at Whakapapa, Tūroa and Tukino or above a line 2300 metres above sea level on the mountain. 

Moe mai rā, haere ki ngā nui o te pō. Huri atu te pō, nau mai te ao.

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