Date: 10 January 2020

He rāhui

He aitua! He aitua!

Ka papaki te tai o te atarau, ka huri aku kamo ki te tihi o Tongariro ki nga hihi o te ra e piata mai ana. Aue taukuri e!

It is with great sadness that Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro and Ngati Tūwharetoa acknowledge the recent death of an elderly gentleman in Tongariro National Park.

With the support of DOC, NZ Police and LandSAR, a rāhui has been placed on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing for three days from today Friday 10 January 2020 and will be lifted at sunrise on Monday 13 January 2020.

A rāhui (physical and spiritual protection mechanism) sets a temporary prohibition around the rāhui area and limits access for that period in order to acknowledge the death and to express our sympathy to the whānau (family) of the deceased.

It provides time for tapu (sacredness) to dissipate following the death allowing time for healing and recovery of the natural elements at place as well as the people; in particular the grieving whānau.

To show respect all hikers in the area are asked to use alternative tracks during the rāhui.

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