Dillon said the raid was well planned as the kauwae (jawbone) parāoa are too heavy to be lifted by one person without disturbing everything around it.
“Transport would have also needed to be a consideration as they are too big to put in the back of a car.
“You would need a trailer, at a push you could get away with an SUV, a ute or a van.”
Police have been notified and are investigating, she said.
She asked anyone who has heard of the possible culprits, or know where the koiwi have ended up, to tell police or the iwi agency Te Korowai o Ngāruahine where she is also tumu whakarae.
“We would like for the koiwi and niho to be returned and your spiritual wellbeing maintained.”
Many Facebook messages on the theft have also expressed concerns for the wairua of the thieves for plundering the tapu bones.
One Black Power supporter wrote that mākutu (harm through spiritual powers) could be visited on the looters.
“Don’t take what’s not yours especially from our people,” the person wrote.
It’s a widely held view in the Facebook responses, including by Waiora Hohaia Ashby.
“Scary to be them. Asking for a lifetime of pain and hardship doing something like that.”
Iri Mako raised the possibility of an inside job.
“It’s so gutting to think that it could even be one of our own who would do this, but only our own knew they [the kōiwi parāoa] were there.”
Raniera Toa said the whānau would “really love our taonga back”.
“To those that decided to take these sacred taonga: By now it should be weighing on your mind.
“Do the right thing and just return them.”
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
