(photograph © Kiwidutch)
I’m not sure if I saw this cemetery at Porangahau or if it was further on somewhere between there and Waipukurau, but it was definitely on provincial state highway 52 before Waipukurau, where we turned back onto State Highway 2 heading towards Hastings (and our destination for today, Napier).
The cemetery was immaculately kept , with beautifully neat lawns and colourful bouquets of flowers (plastic) attached at intervals along a white painted fence.
What really caught my eye were a group of statues on the headstones … cherubs and angels.
Even before reading the text on the stones, it was apparent that these were not the gravestones of adults and the message of lives lost too soon was poignant in the quiet stillness of the place.
I was unsure if I should show the names on the headstones, on one hand it would be nice to think of them, on the other I wanted to respect their privacy and that of their families, so I decided to err on the side of caution and edited the photos to remove their personal details.
One thing is for sure… these short lives are not forgotten, their memory is kept very much alive as their final resting places are obviously well and often tended on a regular basis.
Their headstones are beautiful and make this place special.
…Rest In Peace little angels.
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
