The body of artist Ralph Hotere arrived to emotional scenes
at this afternoon.
Just before 2pm, the airforce NZ90 helicopter he was on
circled around the tiny beachside settlement and disappeared
for a second behind the mountain Tarekeha.
It circled back and hovered for a couple of minutes above a
paddock, drowning out the noise of the Tasman sea.
Family including his wife Mary McFarlane, daughter Andrea
Hotere and two mokopuna and one sister, Maraea Chung, were
greeted with hugs by waiting whanau.
Hotere's body was transferred to a waiting Hummer to travel
the last 100 or so metres of his long journey from his
Dunedin home.
School children and local police performed the haka-powhiri
as he was carried on to the marae and into Tumoana, the house
where he will lie until he is buried.
Dignitaries including MP Shane Jones, Haami Piripi and master
whaka builder Hec Busby followed the body on.
One of Hotere's brothers, Winitana, said all were welcome to
come and pay their respects.
"We are hoping all of his friends turn up. We know a lot of
them would have gone to the service in Dunedin but we would
love anyone here."
NZH lb
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