Hundreds farewell Dalvanius

"Miss me but let me go" - a line from a poem - was the message Dalvanius Prime sent to mourners gathered yesterday to farewell him at Pariroa Marae, near Patea.

Several hundred people attended the service, which ended when the singer and songwriter was buried alongside his ancestors at Nuku-maru, Waitotara, later in the afternoon.

Dalvanius, who died last Thursday after a long illness, was offered many tributes, including a verse of his own song An Angel Tonight sung by friend and fellow performer John Rowles.

And media laid down their cameras as a mark of respect as the Patea Maori Club faced his cloak-draped casket and performed a poi to honour him.

As Dalvanius was carried from the threshold of Taiporohenui, the wharenui where he had lain in state, his entourage was preceded by wero (challenges).

But as the coffin was loaded into the funeral car, the challenges gave way to the singing of Poi E, the song that Dalvanius and the Patea Maori Club made a hit.

Later, at Hawera's Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, mourners listened to a second ceremony which included tributes from Dalvanius' daughter Alishiba and other family members.

"He was cool and I love him," said Alishiba.

One nephew said he was "an example of what we can do for ourselves," referring to Dalvanius' musical career and the encouragement he had given to others.

At the time of his death, Dalvanius was working on three recording projects and was due to go to the United States to complete negotiations for the return of moko mokai (tattooed heads) from American museums.

- NZPA