500 gather to close Stella Naru’s haus krai

 THE memory will linger but the mourning known traditionally as the haus krai for Stella Kalina Mua Naru, late wife of Morobe Governor Kelly Naru, was concluded in Port Moresby yesterday.

It marks a mourning period of slightly over three weeks since her death on May 23 at the Pacific International Hospital in Port Moresby. 

More than 500 relatives, friends and MPs attended the rausim haus krai ceremony held at Naru’s East Boroko residence. 

Justice Minister and Attorney-General Kerenga Kua commended the governor and his team for organising what he described as a unique event.

“I highly commend you and the Kasiga team for a job well done in catering for such an overwhelming number of mourners here, in Lae and elsewhere that a haus krai was put up,” Kerenga told Naru.

Marimari Lutheran church pastor Gundu Kagl hailed Naru for his strong and unwavering Christian faith.

“We came to comfort and console you in your time of grief but instead you comforted us and enriched our lives with the unwavering strength of your faith,” he said.      

The governor said he had spent K530,000 to honour his late wife, who was 28 years old at the time of her passing.

Naru said K130,000 came from contributions by family, relatives, friends and colleagues in Port Moresby, Lae, Chimbu and throughout the country and abroad.

He said K150,000 was spent on logistics, K280,000 on livestock and food and K100,000  as ‘wari mani’ to the Chimbu people with late Naru’s relatives receiving the highest portion of K60,000.

A new Toyota Land Cruiser utility was also presented to his late wife’s grandfather, Lapun Mondo of Awakane clan of Kamaneku in Chimbu.

“All in all, I am satisfied that I have fully honoured the memory of my late wife by acknowledging and appreciating everyone who had shared our grief for the loss of the dearest person in our lives,” Naru said.