Gentle giant laid to rest with his people

Tiki Hunia

After his death in Jamaica it seemed only fitting Redemption Song by Bob Marley - one of the country's most famous natives - was sung at Tiki Hunia's tangi.

Hundreds of mourners yesterday turned out to farewell the 27-year-old shot dead in Kingston, who has been hailed as a hero for defending his wife.

The pair, who were living in Hong Kong, were staying at a guest house on their second honeymoon when two gunmen entered. One of the men hit Nickie-Jean Hunia in the back of the head with a pistol and Mr Hunia leaped to her defence. A scuffle ensued and he was shot twice in the chest. He died in hospital a short time later.

Yesterday's service, at the Ruaihona Marae in Teko in the Bay of Plenty where Mr Hunia grew up, was full of tears, laughter and song for a man referred to as a gentle giant.

Mrs Hunia, who sat at the front of the marae with family members throughout the service, spoke of her love for her husband. Her speech was followed by the procession singing Redemption Song while a family member played the guitar.

Mrs Hunia's uncle, Te Puke orchardist Brian Stapleton, said he wanted to thank Mr Hunia for sticking up for his niece. "As you know Tiki died a violent death by no fault of his own. He died defending Nickie-Jean. We could so easily have been here today mourning two people. We will be forever grateful for his actions ... some of these things you can't control.

"Unfortunately sometimes these things happen."

He said the family probably didn't want all the publicity but it was needed to hurry the "frustrating process" Tiki's uncle Keld and brother Hurricane endured trying to have his body released in Jamaica.

The pair flew to Kingston and battled for about two weeks with funeral directors, airlines and officials as they tried to bring him home.

They also faced cultural differences with officials not understanding the importance of a traditional three-day Maori tangi.

"I want to thank them - well try and thank them, words can't express - for repatriating Tiki from Kingston," Mr Stapleton said.

"They brought him home to his family, to his final resting place."

After the service, Mr Hunia's coffin was carried into a white van which the procession followed to the Kokohinau Marae, about 1km down the road.

He was buried at the marae's urupa where other family are buried. His killer has not been found.