The rain goes away for Nanny Noa as Hawke's Bay kuia laid to rest

Mourners carry Nanny Noa to her final resting place at Kaitoki urupa. Photo / Duncan Brown

Hundreds have farewelled Dannevirke centenarian Nanny Noa Nicholson on a day she may have herself prescribed — without rain.

But on Makirikiri Marae just south of Dannevirke today Nanny Noa stayed inside wharenui Aotea, packed mainly with whanau while others stood in the late morning sunshine outside for a full Ratana service which ended with her casket carried across the paepae, led by the church band to be taken to her burial at Kaitoki urupa, off Weber Rd.

There were lots of whanau, from succeeding parts of the five generations of which she had been the most senior member, and which had included her 10 children, the eldest now around the age of 80.

Nanny Noa is delighted to be presented with a birthday card in honour of her 100th. Photo / Dave Murdoch

The kindness of the weather and her mum's part in it weren't lost on daughter Gloria Hauiti as she spoke at the service, which culminated a four-day tangi since Nanny Noa died on Wednesday.

As a crisp breeze flailed the hapu flag of Ngati Te Rangiwhakaewa at half-mast, conditions underfoot showed it had rained overnight and threatened the departing day, just as rain had threatened her mum's 100th birthday celebrations in March.

"It was pouring down, it was going to flood," said Hauiti, telling how she prayed to make it stop, but it didn't.

She decided she should go to a higher being, her mum, whose prayers were answered with just the desired weather on the big day.

Nanny Noa seemed to carry that sort of presence, which Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Tamaki-Nui-A-Rua principal Brian Paewai reckoned would be "irreplaceable", although Nanny Noa had done her best to make sure there would be those who would carry on the "mahi", of educating the generations in the traditional ways, including taking daughter Gloria around the regions over the last 20 years introducing her to all of those who want to know.

Mavis Mullins, Nanny Noa and Tracey Collis at the ball held in honour of Nanny Noa's 100th birthday at the Dannevirke Town Hall.

Paewai — "she would regard me as a nephew, I regard her as my mentor" — said all the school roll of about 80, and all of those who preceded them would miss her work and presence which had continued almost right up to her passing.

"The last few years we have let her go at her own pace," he said. "Earlier this year we had a Maori language hui right her," he said. "She stayed all day."

He was sure people would soon emerge, inspired by the strength of their Nanny Noa.

But as for the kuia herself. "She is irreplaceable," he said.