Carmen passed away peacefully in the presence of friends and family on 15 December 2011 and was buried, in accordance with her wishes, in Sydney's Rookwood Maori Cemetery.
The New Zealand memorial will be held at the centrally located Auckland church of St-Matthew-in-the-City and is open to anyone who would like to attend. Jordon Harris, a taktatāpui community member and one of the organisers, says the memorial is an opportunity for people to gather and pay their respects to one of New Zealand’s most respected and successful transgender legends. “Many whānau and friends were able to farewell Carmen in Sydney and this is an opportunity for people in New Zealand to do the same. Some of her close friends from Sydney are coming too and they will be bringing her portrait which was used at the tangi in Sydney.”
The service has been organised by Carmen's whānau, close friends, the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) and Mika Haka Foundation.
Carmen’s many friends and admirers are invited to join the Carmen Rupe Memorial Trust(CRMT) page on Facebook, where a group of Carmen’s closest friends and the Executors of Carmen’s Estate are seeking input and ideas from the wider community regarding how the CRMT might come together to celebrate Carmen’s life, perpetuate her legacy and do charitable work in her name for years to come. Friends of Carmen can join the facebook page and/or email directly to the .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for further details.
E te kuia, e te wahine rongonui o Ngāti Hari
Haere ki a rātou mā, haere ki te waka o te Kaihanga
Haere, haere haere atu rā
####
NOTES TO JOURNALISTS
Maumahara ki Carmen Rupe
Saturday, 11 February 2012
5.30pm-8.30pm
St Matthew-in-the-City
Corner of Hobson and Wellesley Streets
Auckland 1010
An after-memorial celebration of Carmen’s life will be held at K’ Road’s DNA Bar, 9pm-12am and then Family Bar from 12am.
For further comment please contact:
Dawn O’Connor
Communications and Fundraising Manager
New Zealand AIDS Foundation | Te Tūāpapa Mate Āraikore o Aotearoa
p| 09 300 6965 m| 021 741 604
