A Ngapuhi leader has called for the repatriation of the bodies of Maori war dead buried overseas, in the wake of the attack on graves in Libya.
The gravestones of all 11 New Zealand soldiers buried at the Benghazi War Cemetery and at the Benghazi British Military Cemetery were among 200 World War 2 graves desecrated earlier this month.
Matarahurahu hapu leader David Rankin has called for all Maori soldiers buried overseas to be brought home, in accordance with tikanga (customs).
Mr Rankin, who lectures on Maori culture at Unitec, said leaving the body of a warrior in a foreign territory was a source of shame for an iwi.
"For too long we have ignored our toa [warriors]. Their spirits are crying out to be returned home, and we need to act on that before further desecration occurs.""For 70 years, we have had the RSA, which is a Pakeha organisation, dictating to us where the bodies of our ancestors should lie. They want them in foreign cemeteries, but our tikanga says that the bodies must always be returned home."
He did not know how many Maori soldiers were buried overseas, but said it would cost "millions".
"We don't want taxpayers' money, we want as Maori ourselves to actually fund it and bring them home.
"It would cost millions, but actually, as Maori, we do have the money."
Mr Rankin offered to put up $50,000 to start a fund to have the bodies of Maori soldiers buried overseas repatriated.
