Grave
destruction halted
By
Tara Carr
The
destruction of graves in order to beautify the Avarua Cook Islands
Christian Church (CICC) churchyard has been halted says the
spokesperson of the project, Vakapora Mataiapo.
Vakapora
Mataiapo was elected at a meeting held with deacons last Sunday
which decided that the destruction will cease. Instead, he says,
work will be carried out this Saturday to tidy up things on
the seaside of the church. The destroyed graves on the inland
side of the church will not be touched. Last week old graves
on the seaside of the churchyard were cleared and covered with
sand. Today a number of headstones have been placed at the entrance
created by the machinery which was used. The area has also been
roped off.
Two
bouquets of flowers lie on the cleared area and a piece of cardboard
is taped to one of the headstones in the graveyard - that of
Doug Ellingham's grandfather's grave. The board asks that the
headstone not be destroyed. It adds that if the headstone has
to be removed, to contact Ellingham who will do the job himself.
Members of the public reacted angrily to the bulldozing of graves,
on Tuesday last week, organised by the Avarua CICC Reverend
Mata Makara, his executive and congregation.
Clearing
work was stopped by concerned citizen and Makea family member
Eruera (Ted) Nia. The Makea family gave the land to the church
to be used to administer the gospel. A meeting has been called
by Te Kupo Ariki o Makea, Ngati Makea, the descendants of those
whose graves were destroyed and all concerned members of the
public for the CICC president, Reverend Mata Makara and the
deacons of the church so that a number of questions regarding
the clearing of the graves can be answered. The Makea family
also issued a notice warning members of the public who do not
own a grave in the churchyard not to enter the area. The notice
states that there will be no further clearing work done on any
of the graves and that no stones may be removed and or headstones
damaged.
Makea
family member Ellena Tavioni says the family, who are also the
traditional landowners, will be looking at all options available
to them. Sometime this week they will also be going to court
to apply for an injunction.
"We
keep calming down because we think that they will get some sense
… but they haven't. There has been no apology, no remorse,"
says Tavioni. In addition, Tavioni is annoyed that Rev Makara,
on New Zealand radio, told Cook Islanders living overseas that
what they were doing was to "akamanea" (beautify) the graves.
Tavioni says Makara also told listeners that no bulldozers were
used, just small machinery.
She
says the land was not given to Makara and his ekalesia today.
"The land was given to missionaries in the past and they had
a strong understanding with the Makea family at the time."
"The
graves were there before and it was understood they would stay
there. There was no mention of the graves going." She adds that
if anyone should complain about the place being used as a graveyard,
it should be the traditional landowners.
"We
should be the ones jumping up and down that they (the church)
breached the contract. We're not complaining. We're happy for
the graves to be there. They earned their place. He's the one
complaining," she says.
Vakapora
Mataiapo says he will be present at tonight's meeting. He adds
that the Makea family will be notified about any additional
work carried out in the churchyard.
Cook
Islands News, 8th April 2003
