Tena kotou katoa e nga whanau on this beautiful, lovely,
calm day. We, the whole whanau, have just arrived back
from Te Kauri urupa, where Russell and I conducted a
remembrance Service for his/their son, Rahema and Tamaira’s
brother, father of Autahi, Te Taonga, Tawhiti (and Mutt!),
uncle of Tayne, Niki Jean, Kauri, nephew of Simon Mountain,
and cousin of Kia Maia Hook. We also had the pleasure of the
company of Auntie Blossom (Rob and Raymond’s mother) whose
husband’s memorial stone was unveiled in Pukepoto the other day.
Thank you also for doing my dishes and cleaning my sink top of
all those dirty dishes!
As the weather was so sunny and still, we all managed to drive
right down to the gates where we assembled and awaited my
poroporoaki/mihi to nga tuupuna and whanau resting there.
I hadn’t really organised my programme so it was pretty much a
“play it by ear” situation, but that was ok too, we are whanau and
we just have to slot in as best we can. The attention span of the
little ones leaves a lot to be desired, so I have made a conscious
effort to focus on that in the future, especially with the newest
mokopuna (6 yr old) who has just come aboard. Never mind, we
shall work on that and gradually get him accustomed to when and
where certain things are allowable – now whanau I didn’t mean
this to put a damper on our Special Day……. but my heart goes out
to Anya, Russell, Rahema, Tamaira and all those who have expressed
their sincere aroha to us, Teina’s whanau,
so, whanau this is just an acknowledgemnt of all your sincere
remembrances of our dear/darling bro,cousin,uncle,mokopuna etc etc
nga manaakitanga ki a kotou katoa x x x