Large whale carcass washes up on Horowhenua beach

Friday, 4 September 2020

Local Iwi, Muaupoko, oversee the removal and burial of a beached whale at Hokio Beach in Horowhenua. (First published September, 2020)

It is the end of a journey for one mighty sea creature, but the beginning of a cultural education for the young members of a Horowhenua iwi.

A large whale carcass washed up on Hokio Beach on Friday, the tide lapping at its side as a crowd of onlookers gathered on the sand; a fascination for some, and a gift for Muaūpoko.

Iwi representative Mungu Wiwarena said it was a special occasion.

“We have had Tangaroa, the god of the sea, visit us, raukawakawa, our ocean, with a taonga [treasured possession].”

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The whale washed up on Hokio Beach on Friday afternoon, after floating offshore for several days.

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Mungu Wiwarena, right, from Muaūpoko iwi, teaching his nephew Reihana Nahona the tikanga for receiving taonga from the sea.

Iwi were at the beach observing tikanga (appropriate customs) and performing karakia (prayers) much of the day.

Part of that tradition was passing on knowledge to the next generation, including Wiwarena’s nephew Reihana Nahona, who had been the second person to sight the whale.

The baleen whale was identified by its distinguishing feature of having no teeth.

'I've been able to do that today,” Wiwarena said. “Give him something to think about if this event comes around again in his time.”

Kaumatua performed a karakia early this morning on behalf of the Muaūpoko people and to acknowledge the circle of life.

Kaumatua Morokopo Wiremu-Matakaka said the karakia was all about receiving taonga respectfully.

Department of Conservation ranger Jorinna Prinz and several colleagues took measurements.

“It's not just a whale to us, it's a taonga. It's about our people that are already gone.'

'The main thing is to take it from moana from tangaroa [the god of the sea] and put it in te papa [the earth]. That's our main mahi for today.'

He said this was the third or fourth whale that had washed up on Muaūpoko sands.

Muaūpoko Tribal Authority chief executive Di Rump said they were pleased with the awareness of the iwi’s role as kaitiaki [guardian] of the beach and “the need to observe Muaūpoko tikanga and karakia to respect this taonga”.

A Department of Conservation spokesman said the whale was an 18.75 metre-long baleen whale, the species identified by the absence of teeth.

They had earlier narrowed it down to four species; a sei whale, pygmy whale, blue whale, or a bryde’s whale.

Its fin was a distinguishing feature, but because the whale was lying face down its fin could not be seen.

He said due to the deterioration of its condition, it was hard to tell the cause of death.

The carcass had begun to wash up on Thursday night, but had been seen offshore for over a week. Officers took samples that would be tested.

The whale was to be rolled up the beach by a bulldozer on Friday night and lifted into a place of burial by two diggers, where a karakia would be performed.