Police seek owners of taonga

Police are making one last effort to look for the rightful owners of more than a dozen priceless items of cultural significance.

The Maori taonga, which have remained unclaimed for well over a decade, are currently at Henderson police station.

Senior Constable Wane Wharerau is the fourth iwi liaision officer to have inherited the unclaimed items. ’’These could be family heirlooms, which means they will be very significant to the whanau.’’

The priceless articles include a heru, five pounamu pendants, a bone pendant, three sets of earrings, feathers used in kapa haka and a fish hook pendant that is possibly the ‘‘most significant of the lot’’. The items were found in a distinctive looking handmade crochet bag.

Another item, a metal pendant with Maori carving, was added to the list on October 31 last year. A member of the public had found it lying in Riverpark Reserve in Henderson.

All the toanga have already been blessed by a kaumatua.

Claimants should contact the police as soon as possible. If no one steps forward the items are going to be permanently placed in a ‘‘special cabinet’’ at the police station. Police believe the items found in the crochet bag were probably stolen.

* If you know the rightful owner contact police on 09 839 0600.