• The death of 3-year-old Catalya Remana Tangimetua Pepene has prompted calls for community action in Kaikohe.
• A 45-year-old man has been charged with murder and appeared in Kaikohe District Court.
• Ngāpuhi leader Mane Tahere said a hikoi down Kaikohe’s main street is planned for today at 10am to pay tribute to Catalya.

The violent death of Catalya Remana Tangimetua Pepene has sparked a call for Kaikohe locals and Māori to stand up and take control of their community.

A 45-year-old man has been charged with three-year-old Catalya’s murder and appeared in the Kaikohe District Court last week.

Ngāpuhi leader Mane Tahere said a hikoi down Kaikohe’s main street is planned for today at 10am.

Ngāpuhi leader Mane Tahere said a hikoi down Kaikohe’s main street is planned for today at 10am.

“We are calling a hui to organise a hīkoi up main street Kaikohe to pay tribute to our dear mokopuna a Rahiri; Catalya Remana Tangimetua-Pepene who tragically passed away.

“The purpose ... is to pay tribute to Catalya and to uplift our community.”

The death has rocked Kaikohe, at a time when whānau are also facing a methamphetamine crisis in the region.

Tahere has already asked Police Minister Mark Mitchell for help to clean up the region from drugs.

Kaikohe pastor Michael Shaw said the preschooler's violent death has stunned the community and deepened a sense of despair. Image supplied.

Kaikohe pastor Michael Shaw said Catalya’s death has stunned the entire community.

“There’s a silent sense of despair,” Shaw told the Herald.

“There’s a sense of hopelessness and ‘what do we do’”.

Northland-based NZ First list MP Shane Jones.

Northland-based Government Minister Shane Jones said Ngapuhi must make a stand. He called the housing complex where Catalya died “the Gaza Strip”.

“This death took place in a newly-built hauora housing complex – which was previously the site of the Kaikohe RSA,” Jones said.

“Hauora means healthy and the death of this infant in that complex is a catastrophic failure by so many.

“The police regularly visit that complex and the standards have collapsed.

“Where are all the great Ngāpuhi leadership? It’s all left to the young fella Mane Tahere, who I have a lot of time for.”

Ngāpuhi go on about the declaration of independence. Where is the declaration of disgust for this baby.

Northland-based NZ First MP Shane Jones.

The NZ First deputy leader copped abuse after a speech earlier this month where he identified Kaikohe as a danger zone.

“I was attacked by Ngāpuhi for my speech. Those attacks are meaningless to me. Just 48 hours later, we had that baby’s death.

“That complex where that child died is known as the Gaza Strip. It is dysfunctional with anti-social behaviour.

“Where are the community leaders ... who keep waving the sovereignty flag about?

“Ngāpuhi go on about the declaration of independence. Where is the declaration of disgust for this baby?

“A child is dead and there’sa thunderous silence by Māori.

“This needs a strong response from the Kaikohe civic leadership and also by MPs of the North and a robust set of responses by police and the other agencies. A small fortune has been spent in Kaikohe to address social decay.

“There is nothing more repulsive than the death of this child.”

Kaikohe Community leader and chair of Ngāpuhi Investment fund Ben Dalton agrees.

Chair of Ngāpuhi investment entity Tupu Tonu Ben Dalton.

“It’s time for some leadership and us, as Ngāphui and the community taking control,” Dalton said.

“It is completely unacceptable that this social breakdown is allowed to continue.

“We have been trapped in this relationship between Ngāpuhi and the Crown, when in fact we could take a lot of this in our hands and move forward.”

Joseph Los’e is an award-winning journalist and joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News, covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and prior to joining NZME worked for urban Māori organisation Whānau Waipareira.