Wha¯nau lie at marae before final farewell
The tangi for the seven family members killed in Sunday morning’s highway tragedy near Taupo will be held at Timikara Marae, at Moteo, in Hawke’s Bay.
The wha¯ nau will lie at the marae, about 10km west of Taradale, until their final farewell there at 11am on Saturday. The service will be followed by burial at Moteo Urupa¯ .
The arrangements were confirmed yesterday, soon after police had named the victims as David Wiremu Poutawa, 42, Margaret Agnes Teowhare Luke, 35, and their children Trinity Nivek Luke, 13, Chanley Tirohia Lavina Poutawa, 11, Jahnero Kevin Panapa Poutawa, 10, Akacia Lee Alexia Te Ana Poutawa, 8, and Khyus Isaiah Raurimu Poutawa, 7.
Also killed in the State Highway 1 crash between Wairakei and Atiamuri, was the sole occupant of a second vehicle, Jennifer Mary Rogers, 51, of Lower Hutt.
A Givealittle page was set up on Tuesday for the two remaining members of the Poutawa family.
The couple’s 9-year-old son, David, remains in Waikato Hospital recovering from surgery after suffering serious injuries in the crash.
His 12-year-old brother, Legacy, was with grandmother Sherilyn Poutawa on the day of the crash. She spoke of the wha¯ nau’s grief during a press conference at the hospital on Tuesday, describing losing seven loved ones as “devastating, a shock”.
“No words can fully describe the agony, the anguish that our wha¯ nau are experiencing.” Simplicity Bereavement Services set up the Givealittle page to “help . . . with the care and upbringing of Legacy and David”, as well as tangi costs. The page says the family are facing an “unimaginable loss for a caring wha¯ nau”. Poutawa also thanked everyone — wha¯ nau, friends, work colleagues, schoolteachers, friends, neighbours — for their condolences, heartfelt aroha, prayers and thoughts.