The bones were welcomed to Palmerston North with a karakia and a waiata.
Photo: RNZ/ Dom Thomas
At a pre-dawn ceremony today, those bones were uplifted from that site, and moved to Te Manawa, the Palmerston North museum.
They were carried inside wrapped up in boxes, then laid out on the floor - with iwi members, kaitiaki representatives, and Waka Kotahi Transport Agency staff sitting nearby - the bones were welcomed with a karakia and waiata.
When the ceremony was finished, the bones were then carried out, to the rear of the museum, into a storage room.
Many of the bones were too fragile and sensitive to be moved out of their boxes and remained wrapped up but three bones - two ends of a tibia and a femur - were laid out.