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Ancient preserved heads give up their secrets as Māori tattoos see resurgence

Ancient preserved heads give up their secrets as Māori tattoos see resurgence

New research examines how traditional artists worked as revitalisation efforts see tā moko – Māori tattooing – become more visible in New Zealand In New Zealand’s national museum, master Māori tattoo artists painstakingly apply ink to the faces of eight men and women as a large crowd watches on. Thin lines spiral over the men’s cheeks, dipping towards the jaw and up over the forehead, while lines curl around the women’s chins – each mark telling the story of its wearer’s identity, lineage and experience. Surrounding them are their families, who sing and grip their hands as they lay still under the needle and weight of the sacred – and usually private – ceremony. Continue reading...

'Dogs will be dogs attitude won't do': Owner jailed after mate mauled to death by hungry pets

'Dogs will be dogs attitude won't do': Owner jailed after mate mauled to death by hungry pets

In a historic first for New Zealand’s justice system, a man has been jailed for manslaughter after his aggressive dogs fatally attacked Neville Thomson. The sentence marks a turning point in how the law can hold dog owners accountable - and comes with a plea from the man’s grieving children for dog owners to do better. “Every dog owner should prioritise the safety of their pets and the community. By doing so we can prevent tragedies and protect lives,” Thomson’s daughter Nataria Moore said. Moore was speaking at Abel Jaye Wira’s sentencing in the High Court at Whangārei on Friday. The 60-year-old was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury after his dogs mauled Thomson to death. Thomson’s three children clutched each other in court as their victim impact statements were read, detailing the trauma they had experienced as a result of Wira and his dogs. Their father was a beloved member of the Panguru community who helped out the local marae, neighbours and loved his whenua. Moore said she thought it was a joke when her brother called her to say their father was dead, killed by a pack of dogs. “The world around me paused and I felt like the oxygen had been sucked out of the world,” she said. Moore recalled the regular late-night text chats she would have with her father, while his son Tama said his father would give you the shirt off his back “just because you liked it”. “I hate the way in which he was taken, it’s left so many unanswered questions,” Tama said. “I miss my dad so much but I’ve got to keep on keeping on. As my dad used to say, ‘there’s no rest for the wicked’.” Dog owners must do better In reading their victim impact statements, the family took the opportunity to send a message to dog owners in New Zealand to do better. “I’m deeply concerned since his passing there have been other tragic incidents, including Elizabeth Whittaker in the Far North and Timothy Tu’uaki Rolleston-Bryan. Others have lost their lives in similar circumstances and I take this moment to acknowledge their lives,” Moore said. Moore said she wanted to honour her dad’s life by pushing for meaningful change. “I urge the authorities to take this opportunity to strengthen regulations and ensure that dog owners are held accountable for the care and control of their animals.” Abel Wira in the High Court at Whangārei during his trial following the death of Neville Thomson (inset) in August 2022. Aggressive, uncontrollable, dangerous In 2022, Wira came to house sit Thomson’s home in Panguru while the latter was in the South Island and brought with him 23 dogs: six adults and 17 puppies. When Thomson returned, Wira stayed on with his pets, which he kept confined in a caravan, sometimes unfed for days. During a week-long trial in August, witnesses described the dogs as aggressive, uncontrollable and dangerous. They had lunged at visitors, mauled the ears off a neighbour’s pig and attacked Wira, resulting in him needing hospital treatment for bite wounds so severe they nearly struck major arteries. Wira regularly locked the dogs in a caravan, which had no door handle and was propped closed by a block of wood, at Thomson’s property. On the morning of August 4, 2022, Wira was out running errands while Thomson was home on the phone to his partner. The dogs, who had not been fed in two days, escaped out of the caravan and mauled Thomson to death. Neville Thomson was known as an animal lover and had two dogs of his own. Photo / Supplied When Wira returned to the property and found his friend dead, he had to beat the dogs off with a spade. When authorities arrived, two of the dogs were shot on sight, one escaped into the bush and the rest were taken to a local pound and had to be euthanised as they were too aggressive to be rehomed. ‘It was only a matter of time’ Thomson’s death triggered a lengthy police investigation, and it was not until December 2023, more than a year later, that Wira was charged with being a dog owner of a dog that caused injury or...

Fire alarm forces evacuation of Auckland Airport terminal

Fire alarm forces evacuation of Auckland Airport terminal

Auckland Airport’s domestic terminal has been evacuated, with passengers sent outside and planes left stuck on the tarmac after a fire alarm went off. The evacuation started just before 8am and passengers had since returned to the terminal, an Auckland Airport spokeswoman told the Herald in an emailed statement at 8.47am. “The domestic terminal was evacuated for a short time just before 8am after a fire alarm was activated. “Auckland Airport emergency services responded and the terminal was cleared for re-entry shortly afterwards. We thank passengers for their patience.” She didn’t say what caused the alarm. Nelson MP Rachel Boyack pictured waiting outside Auckland Airport's domestic terminal, which was evacuated this morning after a fire alarm went off. Photo / X Nelson MP Rachel Boyack was among those affected, posting a video to X of people outside the terminal as alarms blared in the background. “Fire Drill over - hopefully was just a drill! Now Airport chaos begins!”, she wrote in a subsequent update. A fellow air passenger told Stuff they understood a sprinkler had gone off in a cafe. The evacuation was now causing delays, the passenger said. “My plane half boarded and now we can’t leave because 25 passengers haven’t boarded. It’s gonna be chaos today.”