# @buzzcityhoopsqld on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DZwicPPpRyA
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/66829789-buzzcityhoopsqld-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/e704101adc.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-06-19T07:04:23.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Carl Forbes (@buzzcityhoopsqld) — https://gondola.cc/buzzcityhoopsqld

## Caption

Remembering one of my closest friends today, who sadly passed away in his sleep, leaving behind his partner , young children and many loving family members and friends. 

I will never forget when he invited to a Father’s Day dinner and  presented  with my pounamu.  The most humbling experience of my life .

Since arriving in Australia i have met many Maori people and i have always been given a huge amount of respect, friendship and loyalty by Maori people. Vance told me that it is because of who i am as a man and because i have “Mana” , and due to the amount of things i did for him , and how much he valued our friendship. 

He asked me to attend a dinner, celebrating in true Maori culture, and presented this to me with these words. “I have asked my tribal leaders for permission to present you with my Mana. Our people bestow mana only once in their lives and only on a very rare occasion to someone not of our culture. 

It is bestowed to people for their great words, deeds and character. Your Pounamu has been gifted to you by me and has been hand carved specifically for you by the tribal carver in NZ. The larger pounamu and the stronger the designs, depict the strength and character of you as a man.

It has been taken to Lake Okareka in Rotorua (North Island New Zealand) and has been blessed on the lives of Carl and Noah Forbes”

I have never been so humbled or blessed to receive anything from anyone in my life and the words thank you seemed so inadequate for the moment and gesture. 

I will be releasing our Whanau jerseys for the first time in a while this season, and will have our kids wear them in one of our games to honour Vance. 

He was larger than life , and the most loyal person you will ever meet. He put himself in harms way multiple times to protect me , he was 160kg , with a heart just as big, and he will forever be missed. 

RIP big fella. 🫶

#humbled #RIP #grattitude #whanau

## Stats

- **Views:** 162
- **Likes:** 21
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 1

## Tags

grattitude, rip, humbled, whanau

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