Sister won't give up on brother's burial rights

The sister of James Takamore says she won't give up fighting over the burial rights of her brother.

The man's family will find out today whether the Supreme Court will overturn a decision for his body to be disinterred from the Bay of Plenty and reburied in Christchurch.

Mr Takamore's widow, Denise Clarke was awarded the right to get him back, after his body was snatched from a marae in Christchurch in 2007, and buried in the North Island against her wishes.

His sister Josephine Takamore says whatever today's outcome, she won't give up.

"I've started this, and I will finish it, and if I have to, I'll just keep going. I'm not being arrogant to anybody, I'll just keep going."

Josephine Takamore hopes that once it's all over the family can come together.

Gerard McCoy QC, acting for Ms Clarke, has told the court the Maori custom, in this case having Tuhoe descendents returned to their hapu for burial, is inconsistent with New Zealand law.

He's gone as far as to describe the idea that you could apply this custom to people who don't want it as coercion and oppression