Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
Ancient moa bones unearthed last month during excavation work on Te Ahu a Turanga: Manawatū Tararua Highway project have today been uplifted by iwi and relocated to Te Manawa in Palmerston North, following archaeological investigations at the site.
A private ceremony to uplift the bones was held this morning before dawn, led by kaitiaki and kaumatua, and attended by Waka Kotahi Owner Interface Manager Lonnie Dalzell, project Alliance leadership, and project site archaeologist Patrick Harsveldt.
“We are very grateful to our kaitiaki and iwi partners for their guidance and leadership since the discovery of these taonga and throughout the archaeological investigations,” Mr Dalzell says.