Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Haka in Rotorua to commemorate rugby star Sean Wainui

Rotorua Daily Post
20 Oct, 2021 09:18 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Sean Wainui has died at the age of 25. Photo / Getty Images

Sean Wainui has died at the age of 25. Photo / Getty Images

A haka has been organised to remember Māori All Black and Chiefs star Sean Wainui in Rotorua today.

Wainui, 25, was killed in a single-vehicle crash about 7.50am at McLaren Falls Park, near Tauranga, on Monday.

Organiser Murray Sturt said he wanted to play his part in honouring the "humble" Wainui.

He did not know how many people were set to attend, but he said a post on social media about the gathering had been shared more than 200 times.

"We are just here to pay homage to a man that gave us enlightenment on the television every time he played."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The haka was also for those that wouldn't be able to attend the tangihanga in Gisborne due to event number restrictions at alert level 2.

"It's a celebration. Haka is an emotion. Some people don't cry, and some people don't mourn - but some people when they haka it is an emotional release." Sturt said.

People would meet at midday today at Te Manawa in the city's CBD.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Almost $200,000 has been raised for his wife Paige and their children Kawariki and Arahia through a Givealittle page.

"Sean Wainui was an incredible rugby player, father, husband and proud of his Māori heritage," the Chiefs wrote on the fundraising page.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Paige Wainui (@paiggefox)

"With the outpouring of love from the rugby world and fans both nationally and internationally, our club wanted to set up a way we can all contribute to Sean's family during this difficult time.

"Once a Chief, always a Chief," they said.

Discover more

New Zealand

'This pain is unbearable': Rousing haka for Sean Wainui's whānau as final journey to tangi begins

20 Oct 05:27 PM
Sport|rugby

'A lot of people are heartbroken': Whitelock urges ABs to speak out after Wainui's death

19 Oct 06:00 PM

Meanwhile, a group of friends and whānau have performed a rousing haka for the widow and children of Wainui as the rugby star began his final journey home for his tangi.

Wainui's heartbroken wife Paige held her children close as they witnessed the spine-tingling haka.

She shared the poignant tribute to her Instagram account.

"This pain is unbearable. Kei te hoki koe ki tō whenua taurikura my baby māku koe e arahi. I know your waiting for us. We're on our way to gizzy bringing you home now baby," she wrote in the caption.

The young couple had just recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary.

Paige watched the haka while holding on to the couple's two children, Kawariki and Arahia.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Just a few months ago, a video of Wainui teaching his 8-month-old son Kawariki to do the haka went viral.

The couple had celebrated their first wedding anniversary just six weeks ago. At the time, Wainui posted a loving caption about life with his best friend Paige.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Speed limit on part of Te Ngae Rd to rise following review

20 Jun 05:01 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Homicide investigation after woman found dead in Tūrangi

20 Jun 03:24 AM
Rotorua Daily Post

Crowds gather for Rotorua Matariki celebration at Te Puia

20 Jun 03:00 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Speed limit on part of Te Ngae Rd to rise following review

Speed limit on part of Te Ngae Rd to rise following review

20 Jun 05:01 AM

Te Ngae Rd's speed limit will rise from 50km/h to 60km/h after a review.

Homicide investigation after woman found dead in Tūrangi

Homicide investigation after woman found dead in Tūrangi

20 Jun 03:24 AM
Crowds gather for Rotorua Matariki celebration at Te Puia

Crowds gather for Rotorua Matariki celebration at Te Puia

20 Jun 03:00 AM
From the ashes: New golf clubhouse unveiled five years after devastating fire

From the ashes: New golf clubhouse unveiled five years after devastating fire

19 Jun 10:12 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP