The head of the country's largest iwi says all Ngapuhi should have a say on the final resting place for the bones of 19th century chief Hone Heke. Heke died in 1850 and today his bones were removed from a cave in Northland by the chairman of the Hone Heke Foundation,David Rankin. The bones were wrapped in a flax shroud and blessed by Te Tai Tokerau Anglican Bishop Te Kitohi Pikaahu before being moved to a temporary urupa in Kaikohe, about half way between the Hokianga Harbour and the Bay of Islands. Mr Rankin said they would be buried on a nearby Kaikohe hill. He said the bones were removed because they were near two areas where land development could threaten them but Ngapuhi elder Kingi Taurua said Mr Rankin was acting alone and meddling. He said Mr Rankin did not consult any other hapu, in the area, including himself, who had stronger links to Hone Heke. Another Ngapuhi elder, Te Runanga-a-Iwi o Ngapuhi chairman Raniera Tau, also called for wider consultation before the bones were buried. Mr Tau said Mr Rankin had a right to remove the bones as the senior line of whakapapa (genealogy) in Hone Heke's whanau. Mr Tau said he supported moving the bones from their current site which was under threat from nearby housing development. However, all Ngapuhi should be asked where Heke's remains should be finally buried. Get tomorrow's Northern Advocate for photo's of the bones being moved.
