Dean James and his wife and organiser of the Nia Glassie memorial night, Lauren at Te Koutu marae. Photo / Ben Fraser
Dean James and his wife and organiser of the Nia Glassie memorial night, Lauren at Te Koutu marae. Photo / Ben Fraser
A cake with eight candles will feature at a memorial night for Nia Glassie to remember the birthdays the 3-year-old never got to have.
Te Koutu community will rally on Saturday to mark eight years since Nia died and reaffirm its stance against violence. The toddler died in Rotorua Hospitalon August 3, 2007 from injuries sustained by extensive physical abuse.
The evening will be held at Karenga Park and will include speeches by Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick, Rotorua police area commander Inspector Bruce Horne and Ruku Mihinui representing Maori initiative, E Tu Whanau. Representatives of various groups will light eight candles before the commemorative cake will be cut.
Organiser Lauren James said it was a chance for Koutu to heal but also show it was taking responsibility for the issue.
"At the time, I became increasingly frustrated how organisations and government agencies were always talking about the solution they have for communities. This happened in our community and government agencies and the district council were rallying together to find solutions but they never came out to the community," Mrs James said.
"This night provides an opportunity to go through a healing process so we can in many ways reclaim who we are as a community without being defined by others."
Nia Glassie
Mrs James said it was time to openly discuss topics such as child abuse.
"If you look back and think over the last eight years, what's really changed in not only the Koutu community but Rotorua and New Zealand itself in relation to family violence and child abuse? The statistics are still horrendous," she said.
"So this allows us to actually remember that there was a little girl whose life was lost in this community and actually there was neighbours that watched that incident happen and we're saying, 'that's no longer part of who we are', that actually we like to think we're a much different community than that."
Mrs James said police had extended an invitation to Nia's family to take part.
Mr Horne said officers who worked on the Nia Glassie case would attend.
"Police officers are human beings and the best police officers are outstanding human beings and even though they have skills they can draw on things still do impact on us, just as they do other people."
Te Koutu Marae trustee and Mrs James' husband, Dean, said initiatives were already in place to engage the community through Te Koutu Community Action Group and Te Koutu Marae, with fundraising continuing to refurbish their wharekai.
-The event starts at 4.30pm.
Nia Glassie
* Lived at Koutu and died on August 3, 2007, aged 3
* In 2008, mother Lisa Kuka was found guilty for two counts of manslaughter and failing to obtain medical treatment
* Wiremu Curtis and brother Michael were found guilty of her murder
