Revered Ngāpuhi elder Hōne Sadler wants the return of his tokotoko - please

Respected kaumatua Hōne Sadler left his tokotoko leaning against his car and when he returned, it was gone. Photo / Te Rawhitiroa Bosch

Respected author and Ngāpuhi kaumatua Hōne Sadler is hoping someone has picked up his tokotoko - ceremonial walking stick - and will kindly return it.

Sadler told the Herald it was his fault for misplacing his tokotoko in Papakura in June, but he hopes that he and his walking stick - which has been waved at many powhiri - can be reunited.

“I was on my way home to Hukerenui, Northland from the Ngāti Kahungunu Hui Taumata at Omāhu Marae, Hastings and called in to visit my cousin,” Sadler recalled of the June incident.

“On arrival there my brother and I found out that another cousin’s husband had passed away and was lying in state at Papakura Marae.

“The cousin that we stopped at invited my brother and I to go with her in her car to the Hui Mate. My brother and I with our cousin and her sister got ready to leave from the cousin’s house.

Hōne Sadler's missing tokotoko. Photo / Te Rawhitiroa Bosch

“As it was somewhat cold for me, I told my cousin that I will get a coat out of my car to wear to the hui.

“So I went to get the coat out of the car and left the tokotoko leaning against the back door. After putting on the coat, I forgot to retrieve the tokotoko.”

Sadler said upon arriving at the marae he realised he’d left his tokotoko behind.

“We immediately returned to where I had left the car, but alas the tokotoko wasn’t there so I surmised that someone must have taken. And that’s the long and the short of it,” he said.

Sadler said his tokotoko has special markings and he’d recognise it anywhere.

“There is a round stone and I think that it is ‘inanga’ embedded in or stuck to the handle of the tokotoko but it is not visible in the photo as it is clasped in my hand,” he said.

Sadler said he’d just like his tokotoko returned and anyone with information can email hone.sadler@xtra.co.nz.