Date:  05 May 2021

Kua tangi mai te pītakataka, he mate, he aitua! 

Kei ngā manu o ngā pae huri rauna i tō tātou pou here tupuna a Taranaki e tū nei, tēnā koutou, tātou.

Kua uhia nei te tihi o Taranaki e te raukawakawa hei tohu i te ika huirua kua riro nei ki te pō.

Kua mate tētehi tokorua ki runga i tō tātou tupuna a Taranaki i te rangi nei. Nō reira, ko te mihi ki a rāua otīia ki tō rāua nei whanau kua rongo nei i te anu matao o mate.

He oti anō, ka rāhuitia te ara i mate ai te tokorua nei.

Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, the eight iwi of the region, have acknowledged the fatalities of two climbers on Taranaki Mounga this week, and placed a rahui on all access routes to the summit.

The rāhui is in effect immediately and will be in place for one week. Iwi will review the rāhui after a week.

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 and to express sympathy to the whānau of the deceased. 

It provides time for tapu (sacredness) to dissipate following the fatalities allowing time for healing and recovery of the natural elements at place as well as the people - in particular, the grieving whānau.   

To show respect all visitors to the area are asked to use alternative tracks, and not access the summit of the mounga during the rāhui.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has ceased all its work on the mounga while the bodies of the two deceased climbers are retrieved.

DOC’s two visitor centres on the mounga will remain open to share information with the public.

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