Six religious taonga belonging to the late Pīhopa Richard Wallace have been returned to his whānau, a week after they were stolen from Te Hui Amorangi o Te Waipounamu.
The items were handed back on Saturday, 21 February, after a stranger approached the church office.
Wallace’s mokopuna, Puawai Wallace-Swindells said “A gentleman just walked into where the taonga were originally held and asked if we were missing a gold chalice. We said yes, and he said he thought he had them at his house”.
The taonga were taken during a break-in in the early hours of Wednesday, 18 February. They had been stored in the office of Wallace’s daughter, Susan Wallace.
Their return has been emotional for the Wallace whānau, particularly the crozier presented to Wallace when he was ordained Māori Bishop of Te Waipounamu in 2017.
Puawai described the moment her cousin received the crozier back.
“She just started crying. It was overwhelming. Now we’ve been able to touch them again, remember what they mean to us, and hold space for karakia as a whānau.”
A crozier, a bishop’s staff, symbolises faith and the relationship between a shepherd and his flock. For Puawai, it carries her grandfather’s legacy.
“the crozier for me, it’s magic!”
|
|
|
Ko tētahi atu o ngā taonga i hoki mai, ko te pounamu kōkopu. Nā tōna hoa rangatira, a Mere Wallace i whakarite, ā, e aumihi ana i te wairua o te whānau ki roto i ēnei taonga.
Hei tā Puawai, ka kore te whānau e whai whakawhiunga.
“We’re just grateful that they’re back intact,”
Kua whakamōhio atu ki ngā pirihimana i te hokinga mai o ngā taonga, ka mutu, kua katia te kēhi. He mihi hoki tā te whānau Wallace i te kaha tautoko me te aroha o te hāpori whānui.
Ka huri te aroaro ki te tuāteatanga hōu o te Pīhopa Māori mō Te Waipounamu. Ka hui tahi te Electoral College hei tēnei Paengawhāwhā ki te tipako he piki tūranga hei whakakīa i ngā tapuwae o Pīhopa Richard Wallace.