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Regional | Hawke's Bay

Community gives a little to Waihape whānau

People around the country are showing their support by donating to the family who recently had their urupā desecrated.

Late last week 16 headstones were destroyed at an urupā in Raupunga, northern Hawke's Bay and a givealittle page has been set up to help raise funds to support its restoration.

Ngāti Pāhauwera woman Kaye Wesley was on her way to a funeral on Saturday when she discovered someone had destroyed her family's headstones.

"I wouldn't wish this on anyone, not anyone.  It's like we're burying our dead again, we've got to unveil them again. It's broken our spirits," says Wesley.

She decided to film what she saw and uploaded the video to Facebook. The video has since been viewed more than 150,000 times.

Napier resident Callum McLeay of Ngāpuhi was shocked after seeing the video so he contacted the family and started the givealittle page.

“I just honestly could not believe was I saw. I think a lot of people could share that heartbreak that Kaye experienced when she was walking through her family urupā and it really touched me,” he says.

So far the page has received more than $5,000 in donations.

A local monumental masons spokesperson in the Hawke’s Bay told Rereātea the average price they sell headstones for is $2,400, depending on style and price.

McLeay says he wasn’t sure about the cost of the damage and was told the family will meet soon to discuss future plans regarding the restoration.

Yesterday police confirmed a 46-year-old woman was arrested in relation to the damage of the headstones.