Wairoa urupa¯ at risk from advancing river
A northern Hawke’s Bay wha¯ nau is crowdfunding to raise money for the mass exhumation of its ancestors whose graves are threatened by the neighbouring Wairoa River.
With the small Ma¯titi Urupa¯, near Wairoa, at risk of erosion, the family whose tu¯ puna (ancestors) were buried at the site were hoping to raise $265,000 to relocate their remains.
The Huramua Marae chairman, Chaans Tumataroa-Clarke, said the Huramua area was farmed historically by the Carroll family, especially Sir Turi Carroll.
After World War II, Sir Turi started a Ma¯ori returned servicemen rehabilitation scheme at Huramua.
‘‘Our connection to the place starts from that point, following WWII with our grandfathers and fathers. We’ve been a pretty tightknit community.’’
With the help of Sir Turi’s grandson, Turi Paku, the graves of 53 people and the ashes of two – including Sir Turi and seven other Ma¯ ori returned servicemen – will be moved.
‘‘The issue has been forced by nature and we acknowledge the mana and the mauri of the river and the environment.
‘‘We’re left with no other choice, we don’t want to see our loved ones going down the river.’’
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council asset manager Chris Dolley said the river was moving.
‘‘The river is altering its course slightly, which is causing erosion of the riverbank near the urupa¯ .
‘‘There have been previous attempts to stabilise the bank with plantings but these have not been successful in stopping the erosion.’’
The regional council was supportive of the marae’s fundraising efforts and had made a contribution.
A cultural assessment urupa¯ report for the Wairoa, Nuhaka and Ma¯ hia areas would be researched to identify the need and priority for urupa¯ restoration and repatriation, Dolley said.
A Heritage NZ spokeswoman said it attended a recent hui to gain an understanding of the issue.
‘‘Rising sea levels and coastal and riverbank erosion is a significant nationwide issue, and Heritage NZ is very sympathetic to wha¯ nau concerns regarding the resting place of their ancestors.’’
Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Wairoa representative Fenton Wilson said there was about 20 metres left before the urupa¯ slipped into the river. ‘‘Where the inside bank of the river is now is where the outside bank was 100 years ago. It’s eaten away across 30, 40, 50 metres.’’
Wairoa District Council Ma¯ori relationships manager Duane Culshaw said it was concerned about the situation.
‘‘The flow of the Wairoa River will increasingly affect a number of marae and urupa¯ along its banks and it’s important we work with the [regional council] to look at longterm solutions as this issue will affect other marae and wha¯ nau over time,’’ Culshaw said.
He is assisting Huramua Marae in dealing with Ma¯ ori Land Court issues, including converting Ma¯ titi Urupa¯ into a Ma¯ ori reservation and wa¯hi tapu, as well as re-defining Huramua Marae to include urupa¯ .
Culshaw said Wairoa’s Ruataniwha Marae faced a similar issue.
Stage one will see 27 graves moved early next year, with the remaining 26 to be relocated in 2020.
Wha¯nau had agreed to move them to a site on Huramua Marae, about a kilometre away.