KEY POINTS:
The Bay of Plenty whanau of James Takamore say maintaining their culture is paramount in their battle to keep his body.
The whanau yesterday held a meeting at Kutarere Marae, across the road from the urupa [cemetery] where Mr Takamore was buried on August 21 against the wishes of his Christchurch-based partner and children.
Speaking in a break during the meeting, whanau spokeswoman Tania McCormack said they had not yet decided their next step in the battle, but were united in what they wanted. "Our view is tikanga Maori [Maori custom] is utmost."
Mr Takamore's partner, Denise Clarke, last week gained permission to exhume his remains from Kutarere, southwest of Opotiki, and has vowed to return him home.
She and Mr Takamore were together for 25 years, but police say they will not enforce the exhumation order until an "amicable agreement" between the two sides is reached.
Ms McCormack said the whanau also wanted the best outcome for everyone involved.
The meeting at the marae began at 2pm and was attended by about 50 members of Mr Takamore's whanau and the local Upokorehe hapu. It was closed to reporters, but Ms McCormack emerged during a break in the late afternoon and spoke briefly to journalists at the marae gates, saying the discussion had been "intense".
She said discussions on the whanau's next step would continue into the evening, but everyone left the marae soon afterwards. She would not say which members of Mr Takamore's immediate family were present.
Ms McCormack said police had not contacted the whanau since the exhumation order was issued, and the whanau would hold further discussions on formulating an approach to dealing with authorities.
