Family gather at Muriwai Beach after former refugee couple swept away leave nine children
The lives of a West Auckland couple who were swept to their deaths at Muriwai will be celebrated tomorrow during a traditional Buddhist ceremony.
Former refugees from Burma, Kay Dah Ukay, 48, and his wife Mu Thu Pa, 50, were fishing on the rocks at Muriwai Beach on Monday when they slipped into rough waters.
They had been with their youngest three children, aged 7, 9 and 13, who raised the alarm.
The couple's bodies were recovered from the water a short time later.
They left behind nine children, aged 7 to 29, who will farewell their parents at a ceremony in Henderson tomorrow afternoon.
Mu Thu Pa, left, and her husband Kay Dah Ukay were fishing at Muriwai Beach with three of their children when they were swept away. Photo / Supplied
A spokeswoman for the family, Cicilia Dwe, said there was much anticipation for the joint funeral, which would observe tradition Buddhist rituals and is expected to gather around 400 people.
"It is overwhelming, especially for the older ones because everything is so new and organising your parents' funeral is not very nice," Dwe said.
"It has been quite emotional, especially for Dah Htoo, the eldest sister, because she was very close to their mum.
"They are trying to adhere to rituals and what their parents have taught them."
Although it was traditional in the Buddhist religion to have loved ones cremated, the children had asked that their parents be buried at a cemetery for one special reason.
"Most people are cremated, but the children want to bury their parents so that they can visit - as a family.''
After the ceremony, the burial will take place at Waikumete Cemetery, followed by a traditional Alm food offering at the family home.
Family, children and friends gathered at Murwai beach to bless Kay Dah Ukay, 48, and his wife Mu Thu Pa, 50, who were swept off the rocks while fishing and drowned. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Dwe said funeral expenses were being paid for by kind donations on a Givealittle page.
The page, set up by two of the older siblings' employer, has raised just over $23,000.
"They are very thankful. It is just incredible," Dwe said.
"After we went to see the funeral director we figured out how much approximately it is going to cost, and what we are getting is covering the funeral costs – which are about $18,000 for two people."
After funeral celebrations, and a final ritual on Sunday, Dwe said the families attention would turn to organising guardianship of their younger siblings, as well as ACC compensation.
Earlier daughter Dah Htoo said the eldest siblings, aged 29, 27, 25 and 22, were adamant they were going to keep the family together at their Housing New Zealand home in Henderson, West Auckland.
She said a HNZ representative visited them and let them know they did not need to worry about anything - they would be allowed to stay on at the home.
Dah Htoo acknowledged that was another burden that had been lifted off their shoulders.
The family fled from the Burmese army to reach safety in Thailand 20 years ago.
They lived in a refugee camp on the Thai/Burmese border for 10 years before being resettled in New Zealand in January 2008.
Both parents were still learning English with Waitakere Adult Literacy, but the older children are now working. Dah Htoo Ukay works in the Tegel chicken factory and two of her brothers work at a warehouse.
Seven children stay at the family home in Henderson where the family has lived since they arrived in New Zealand.
The older siblings will now have to care for the four who are still at school - one at Waitakere College, one at Henderson Intermediate and two at Henderson North Primary.
The family are from Burma's minority Karen community and most worship at a Burmese Buddhist temple in New Lynn.
