KIT PERAWITI
[Media Statement]
Member of Sciascia family pilgrimage to Belgium and Italy
dies following accident in Ieper, Belgium
In the early hours of the morning of July 31 2007, Kit Perawiti, aged 71, of
Levin, fell from her hotel bedroom window and died.
The Sciascia family is extremely grateful to the Ieper
police, the hotel staff and the travel agent for their assistance.
The accident came as a huge shock to those family members traveling and to those
who remain at home.
In dealing with the impact of the tragedy the pilgrimage group made the
difficult but collective decision to continue on.
Kit’s death has added an extra dimension to the Belgian part of the journey, the
purpose of which was to commemorate the death of Sergeant Charles Rangiwawahia
Sciascia who died in the battle of La Basse Ville near Ieper in 1917 and who
lead his troops into the trenches on the same day 90 years ago.
Local officials made special efforts to accommodate the
cultural needs of a Maori/Italian family in their hour of need. The elder of the
group, Sonny Sciascia, expressed his heartfelt thanks to the people of Ieper for
their support and kindness.
Kit will be returned to Kereru marae at Koputaroa this week for burial at the
Puaotau cemetery of Ngati Takihiku and Ngati Ngarongo.
Piri Sciascia
He tau aroha he tangi maioha i te aitua nei kua pa mai ki te whanau. Aue te ngau
kino, te huri hoki o te whakaaro me pewhea.
Kaati, i mate a Kit Perawiti he mema no te whanau Sciascia e hikoi haere ana i
nga marae o te pakanga no te 31 o Hurae. Koia nei hoki te ra i mate ai tona
tipuna a Charles Rangiwawahia Sciascia no te tau 1917. I mate a ia i te pakanga
mo La Basse Ville.
Haere e Kit, ka whakahokina koe ki te haukainga tapuketia ai. Ki reira ra koe,
ki roto o Mahinaarangi takato ai. Ki reira ra koe ka tangihia e te whanau o
Kereru, e Ngati Ngarongo e Ngati Takihiku, otira e te iwi whanui tonu.
Koutou i te kainga, he uaua rawa atu te whakatau ake kia haere tonu atu matau
runga o te kaupapa hikoi kua whakaritea.
Heoi, na matau katoa he whakaaro me whakaoti atu. Hei te hokitanga atu ki
Aotearoa, ka hui ano tatau ki Kereru, ki reira tatau tangi ai.
Te pae karioi ki Iepa nei, te pae tapu ki Puaotau na. Kaati ko taua ano tera a
tona wa.
Na tenei ou,
Piri Sciascia
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