Date:  14 May 2021

Tuia ki te rangi, Tuia ki te papa

Tuia ki te moana, Tuia tātou

E rongo te pō, E rongo te ao

Haumi e..Hui e..Tāiki e!

Kua whakatauria mai te rāhui e te iwi kaitiaki e Ngāti Manuhiri

Mai Okakari ki Te Ārai

Te wāhi i mate mai ai te tohorā

Haere atu rā e te taonga a Tangaroa ki tō moengaroa

Mā Te Papa Atawhai a Ngāti Manuhiri e tautoko, ka tika.

Te Papa Atawhai/the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust have laid to rest a dead minke whale discovered ashore on Te Hāwere-a-maki Goat Island on Monday 10 May. The cause of death is unknown.

A rāhui has been placed by the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust from Motururu Okakari Point Marine Reserve Cape Rodney to Te Ārai ō Tāhuhu Te Arai Point. The rāhui will be in place until further notice.

A rāhui (physical and spiritual protection mechanism) sets a temporary prohibition around the rāhui area and limits access for that period in order to acknowledge the death of this taonga species. 

The Trust and DOC ask people to respect the rāhui by staying off the beach in this area until the rāhui is lifted.

Background information

Translation:

Bind the Skyfather, Bind the Earthmother

Bind the sea, Bind us all together

Heard by the spiritual realm

Heard by the physical realm

Join, Gather, Affirm!

The rāhui has been placed by the iwi guardians by Ngāti Manuhiri

From Okakari to Te Arai

The place where the whale had passed

Farewell the precious gift of Tangaroa to your long resting place

Te Papa Atawhai supports Ngāti Manuhiri, that is the right thing to do.