Emotions high as bones retrieved

A repatriation ceremony for his tupuna (ancestors) yesterday sent a shiver up the spine of Rangitane iwi member Jeffrey Hynes.

"It was hard not to get emotionally charged in a setting like this. Even the strongest man would be tempted to cry."

Mr Hynes and 100 other iwi members retrieved the bones of their ancestors yesterday at a ceremony at Canterbury Museum.

It was a day for the people of Rangitane to be proud of who they are, said several iwi members.

The iwi, many of whom had travelled from Marlborough, went to the museum to reclaim their ancestors' bones, believed to be about 700 years old. The tupuna were excavated up to 70 years ago by the museum from the Wairau Bar for study and display purposes. About 60 tupuna will be brought back to Marlborough today for reburial at the Bar tomorrow .

Emotions ran high as Rangitane walked into the museum chamber and saw the caskets. Omaka Marae manager Kiley Nepia led six men in a mau rakau, or weaponry ritual, to safeguard the Rangitane group before they entered.

Women, dressed in traditional mourning attire, black clothes and wearing parekawakawa (weeping-willow leaf to indicate mourning) on their heads, grieved aloud for their ancestors in front of about 150 people present at the museum.

The men performing the mau rakau had painted their faces red to symbolise the hurt and anger of the past.

Museum staff and Rangitane iwi blessed the four caskets.

Waiata followed, and the iwi had a chance to spend time with their ancestors before they took the caskets to Takahanga Marae in Kaikoura overnight.

Rangitane chairperson Judith MacDonald said everyone had made a great effort and contribution towards the day, and it really showed.

The iwi's development manager, Richard Bradley, described it as a day of "raw emotion".

"We achieved our first aim finally, after all these years, we are getting custody of our old people. I never thought it would happen in my lifetime."

Picton kuia 64-year-old Frances Andrell said she was happy the tupuna were being returned.

"I'm so pleased I'm here today to see it. It (the ceremony) was not what I expected. I was overwhelmed."

Seventy-five-year-old James MacDonald from Picton said there had been mixed reaction to past events over the years, but yesterday's outcome was a good conclusion.

- The Marlborough Express