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It is with great sadness that Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro and Ngati Tūwharetoa acknowledge a recent death in Tongariro National Park.
With the support of the Department of Conservation, New Zealand Police and New Zealand Land Search and Rescue, a rāhui has been placed on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing for three days from Tuesday, April 9, 2024. It will be lifted at 6am on Friday, April 12.
To show respect, all hikers in the area are asked to consider using alternative tracks during the rāhui.
A rāhui (physical and spiritual protection mechanism) sets a temporary prohibition around the rāhui area and limits access for that period in order to acknowledge the death and to express sympathy to the whānau of the deceased.
It provides time for tapu (sacredness) to dissipate following the death allowing time for healing and recovery of the natural elements at place as well as the people; in particular the grieving whānau.
Transport operators for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing have been made aware of the rāhui.
