Whale buried to prevent pollution

A whale that washed up south of Ahipara has been buried by local iwi to prevent the sea being polluted as the huge mammal rots.

Rueben Taipari Porter said the 15m-long Brydes baleen whale, or waha kupenga, had been buried at Tauroa Point to keep the Ahipara coastline safe from contamination and make sure kaimoana was safe to eat.

Whanau and hapu living in the baches around Tauroa Pt would be the kaitiaki (guardians) of the remains, which would stay buried for at least 12 months.

A wananga next spring would share taonga with those interested in learning cultural practices around various parts of the whale.

Photos, descriptions and bone parts had been sent to Auckland University for forensic testing to determine the whale's cause of death. Its ear drums and internal ear bones would be examined for damage, for example from seismic testing.

Mr Porter said the whale's death was a significant tohu (sign) because foreign vessels had been mapping the seabed off Ninety Mile Beach and would start seismic testing in December.

"It is significant that it is here at Tauroa that this taonga from Tangaroa has come to rest and to help nurture our journey for us as kaitiaki of our moana."

The name given to the whale was Tauroa after its final resting place. Tauroa Pt was a significant place to the people of Te Rarawa and Ngati Kahu, and was well known for its bounty of kaimoana.

In a year's time the whale would have a second life as taonga binding people together as kaitiaki and hapu, Mr Porter said.

Two weeks earlier a 10m sperm whale washed up dead at Hukatere on Ninety Mile Beach.

Norwegian oil firm Statoil has started a six-year exploration programme in 10,000sq km off Northland's west coast after winning a government tender last year.