Friday, November 21, 2014

Too late

The Christchurch City Council's draft 2014 Parks and Reserves Bylaw was going to include a provision for ashes to be interred if written approval was sought from the council but it is now being reconsidered because it could be culturally offensive.
Mahaanui Kurataiao Ltd (MKT), a company that acts on behalf of the six runanga within Christchurch city, has told the council that if it enables the scattering of ashes in public places, it will alienate Ngai Tahu whanau from those public parks and reserve spaces.
It has cautioned that even if the scattering of ashes occurs on a limited or restricted basis Ngai Tahu whanau will be indefinitely bound in those parks and reserves by the same kawa (protocols) that apply in designated urupa (cemetery). That means they will be unable to eat, laugh, run or play in those areas.
MKT has asked the council to amend the bylaw to prohibit the burial or scattering of ashes of any deceased person or animal in any public park or reserve..."
( Bold mine)
Looks like it is too late. Ashes have already been scattered, so now they have to stay out of these places. You can't undo what has been done or can this, like most things- be sorted by appeasing the superstitious with money.

5 comments:

KG said...

How terribly sad....;)

Oswald Bastable said...

I want my ashes split up and scattered in all the local WINZ offices and bottle shops!

KG said...

Damn right! What a brilliant idea.

tom hull said...

Time these fuckwits started living in the 21st century.

KG said...

There's only a few parts of the 21st century they approve of - such as WINZ and KFC.