A bereaved Gisborne whānau have shared their experience of laying a loved one to rest in a humble and respectful way through the use of Manaaki Mats.
“It was a process we went through as a whānau. All six generations were able to help. “We were able to get the medical certificate, burial and registration of death finalised for our loved one Michael (Bosco) Robert Te Ua,” the Te Ua-Grace whānau said.
“We did not want our loved one embalmed. We wanted to respect his wishes, preserving the tikanga aspect of tangihanga.” Manaaki Mats offer a cooling system which allows families to care for their loved one naturally. The Te Ua-Grace whānau said they wanted to raise more awareness of the mats as an alternative option to having to go through the services of a funeral director which involved embalming.
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