Cambridge house fire victim Nevaeh Ngamoki-Porter honoured with haka from Rototuna Junior High

NZ Herald

19-05-2025

Before the Year 10 student's tangi, her schoolmates gathered to perform a resounding and emotional haka as her body was driven by.
Video taken by Nevaeh's mother, from inside the hearse carrying her body, showed the column of teenagers standing to attention along the roadside.
Nevaeh's coffin was draped in a korowai (cloak) of blue, green, purple, white and black feathers.
'This send-off was done in my daughter's honour as she was quite popular within her school and wider parts of the Waikato,' her mother said.
'Thanks, Rototuna Junior High, for the haka tautoko for our sweet girl.'
Nevaeh's school said: 'She was a vibrant soul with a deep passion for Kapa Haka and Te Reo Māori.
'Her enthusiasm was infectious, and she was a valued and spirited member of our Kapa Haka rōpū, Tuna Whakapeke and Raratuna. We will fondly remember her dedication and the joy she found in celebrating her culture.
'She will be dearly missed. During this incredibly difficult time, our thoughts and aroha are with her whānau and friends.
'We know that this loss is deeply felt by our students and staff. To support our school community, our whare, Te Tuuranga o Koura, is open as a space for us to gather, to grieve, and to process this profound loss together.
'Members of our counselling team, along with senior staff, are available to provide support and a listening ear to anyone who needs it.'
When the first firefighters from Cambridge arrived at the Brennan Place property, the fire was well alight and Nevaeh was unaccounted for.
Three people were inside at the time of the blaze - Nevaeh, her older sister, and her sister's partner, the Waikato Times reported.
Firefighters entered the house to look for Naveah.
She was carried out of the burning building badly injured and taken to hospital by ambulance.
Police confirmed she was found by a volunteer firefighter who was an off-duty police officer.
'The teen was pulled to safety and crews provided immediate medical assistance,' a spokesman said.
Fire investigator Kevin Holmes told the Waikato Times the blaze started in a bedroom. He said the cause had been identified, but would not be announced until the police probe was completed.
The fire was not being treated as suspicious.
Neighbours told the Waikato Times the fire spread quickly, while one recalled hearing calls for help from inside a granny flat attached to the property.