Ngā mate
Our heartfelt aroha goes out to the whānau of Aroha Duncan who passed away unexpectedly in January and Linda Grennell who passed away in February.
Once connected she let the natural pathway of selfdetermination evolve and if that meant you walk through her door again so be it if it was you living your journey, she still wished the very best for you.
Aroha Hinetaumai Duncan Born and named Cora Te Aroha Wereta on 10 October 1937 at home in Port Levy – Koukourārata. The youngest born to Poihipi and Merimatahaere Wereta and a loving sister to Gloria Raureka, Rua, Jim, Matapi, Tokerau, Walton and Meri.
Graceful in her presence and still graceful in her passing. I cannot give my mum the writing of her life she deserves. All I can do is continue to hold her in my heart. It is to you the reader, to reflect on how our mum, tāua, gran, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend impacted on your journey, to share in your thoughts and love in your own space that fits for you.
How do you begin to write a life-long connection to uphold mana and love of a “Mum?” How do you express the utmost respect, a connection that an individual held in so many aspects of life?
Mum is buried in our urupā in Port Levy, with her mother, Meri Wereta, her sister, Matapi, and brother, Jim, surrounded by whānau. With the best view and sunrise in her place of birth. To forever rest at home. Nā Gina-Lee Duncan.
To start to explain the continued new and old relationships made within our time of mourning. These will provide pathways into our future. It’s like mum’s destiny of distinctive pathways to sustain relationships/whānau was naturally imposed. Reflecting on her birth in her Port Levy whānau home, it gives reason as to why her effortless connections bloomed. She was born the pēpi, tuahine, within mana whenua. Mum connected with all her whānau and friends, often being the West Coast connection for whānau holidays and breaks away.
Aroha Hinetaumai Duncan.
He pēpi
Nine year surprise – Haanira-Reiha was born on 18 January 2016. She is the beautiful daughter of Wai-iti Moka and Andre Bedggood and a little sister to Te Manawanui and Te Kerei Junior. Nā Nani Pērā-Moka.
Baby Haanira-Reiha.
Whenua burial
Kahukura was born in Wellington in April 2015 to Pirimia Burger (Ngāti Irakehu, Ngāi Tūtehuarewa and daughter of the late Dr. Irihapeti Ramsden) and Darrin Sykes (Te Arawa, Mataatua). Like many uri living outside their rohe, Pirimia and Darrin felt it was essential to bury their son’s whenua on his tūrangawaewae.
Hot, dry, wind pinned skirts against legs, tousled hair and took off with Tāua’s hot-pink hat. Perfect weather for a fun celebration. Kahukura Wayne Manawatu Te Ra Sykes, aged seven months, was coming home for the first time.
Uncle Riki Pitama led the group of tāua, pōua, cousins, aunties, uncles and friends across the small block of land that has only ever been owned by generations of the same few families. Arriving at a newly created whenua burial area, Uncle Peter Ramsden explained to the group, the significance of the karaka seedlings he had planted there.
Many families continue the ancient tikanga of burying a baby’s whenua (placenta) in ancestral land. For some, it is the ceremony to publically mark the birth of a child. This is the account of one such occasion for a whānau from Koukourārata.
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