Abbey Caves tragedy: Local hapū and whānau gather to place rāhui after Whangārei Boys’ High student died

By RNZ

A month-long rāhui has been placed over Abbey Caves, where a Whangārei Boys’ High School student died in a caving incident on Tuesday.

Year 11 student Karnin Ahorangi Petera died after a group of students were trapped in the Abbey Caves during heavy rain.

Fourteen other students and two adults escaped.

Today, flowers were laid at the entrance of Whangārei Boys’ High School, a makeshift tribute to Petera.

Security guards were outside. However, the school was closed for the day.

On the road leading to the caves, a number of slips told of recent bad weather.

Flowers laid at the entry to Abbey Caves. Photo / Michael Craig

The entrance to the caves was gated at the road and surrounded by workers when RNZ arrived.

Nicki Wakefield from Ngāti Kahu o Torongare, the hapū of the Abbey Caves area, was among many different hapū members across Whangārei who gathered with kaumātua and whānau at the site to place a formal rāhui over the area.

It also meant a closure on fishing in the upper Whangārei Harbour area, Wakefield said.

It was important to come together and place the rāhui, she said.

“Our hapū have been in and out since hearing the news... our hapū have been offering karakia, support for the whānau and the school in this tragic time.

“Our focus was entirely on the cultural and spiritual wellbeing of everyone in Whangārei, and especially the whānau that are grieving.”

The group met at the carpark near the Abbey Caves, then started the karakia from there. They then made their way to the entrance of the reserve, where the words of the rāhui were said.

A notice announcing a rāhui at the Abbey Caves. Photo / Lucy Xia, RNZ

Hapū members shared the distress and sense of loss that people had been feeling throughout the community, Wakefield said, and they had a duty to manaaki and extend aroha, especially to the young people impacted.

“We’re really mindful that young people are out of school today because there are the rolling strikes, and it’s really been big news, this event, so we’re thinking of our whānau and our loved ones, who are really moving through the grief and frustration and aroha.”

The hapū would reconvene within the month to discuss whether further rāhui would be put in place at the site, she said.

Whangārei Mayor Vince Cocurullo said the council would review its processes and procedures once police had finished investigating and the coroner’s report was done.

“We take every incident seriously.”

“Our hearts and thoughts go out to everyone involved. This is a harrowing thing for everyone in the community.”

Wakefield said their hapū did not want to facilitate a larger community gathering as there was still a lot of frustration in the wider community. For the safety of everyone, they had decided to hold off on doing so for now.