New Zealand’s ban on large funerals and tangi has been described as “inhumane” by the opposition leader, and “disappointing” and “cruel” by indigenous funeral directors.
The country is set to exit the coronavirus lockdown and resume many parts of normal life on Thursday, but restrictions on funerals and tangi remain, with only ten mourners permitted. The same rules also apply to weddings.
Simon Bridges, the National party leader and a Māori man,said the limit of 10 mourners would cause added grief and pain for families wanting to say goodbye to a loved one.
“It’s not fair that you can have 30 people on a rugby field playing close contact sport but you can’t have more than ten people at a funeral so they can grieve together,” Bridges said in a statement.
“Our team has been inundated with heart-breaking messages from people who are grieving. Most extended families have more than ten people and that’s before you get to friends and other loved ones.”
Many funeral directors have also been disappointed with the government’s decision. Kaiora Tipene, co-owner of Tipene Funerals in Auckland and star of Netflix show The Casketeers, said the restrictions had kept her up at night with worry.
“It’s 1am. I am a little upset and rather disappointed … I feel for those who are experiencing loss under such strict conditions.” Tipene wrote on her Instagram page.
“What really sucks is … I can go to public venues of up to 100 people but I cannot attend a tanihanga/funeral that consists of more than 10 people.”
Tanihanga is a sacred part of the grieving process for Māori families which has changed little since colonisation, and usually lasts for three days, and can involve hundreds of people gathering on the deceased’s marae.
During lockdown level 3 and 4 police issued warnings at a number of large funeral gatherings, which the government have said pose a major health risk during a pandemic, as friends and families “naturally” want to hug, comfort and grieve intimately.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern has said it causes her great anguish to place limits on funerals, and she has had correspondence from people all over the country asking her to allow larger gatherings.
“The thing I have found, as a human, hardest in all of this has been funerals and tangihanga,” Ardern said on Monday, appearing genuinely moved.
“The one thing I also know is that funerals and tangi are a place where you want to comfort people, that is your natural instinct that’s why we come together.”
“We know this is causing pain. This is only intended, we hope, to be for a very, very short period.”
The Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand have criticised the government’s decision, describing it as “a cruel and heartless blow to the thousands of New Zealand families who have lost loved ones”.
Following growing public criticism, the health ministry announced late on Wednesday that mourners could increase from ten to 50, with strict public health measures to be enforced, including handwashing and social distancing practices.
“Funerals are exceptional events and have been one of the most difficult areas of restriction that we’ve considered as we try to avoid the double tragedy of losing a loved one and spreading the virus,” said Dr David Clark, the health minister.
“The strength of our response to this virus has been in our agility to respond and we have listened to the concerns of the 10-person limit for funerals and moved on that - while emphasising they still pose a significant risk in setting us back.”
