Social Justice
Stunning images of a journey of a river and its people depict what we are in danger of losing, in the hope we can save it.
The story of a raindrop
Our relationship with water is essential and complex, involving different ways we work, play, and live. The Story of a Raindrop photo essay examines the pervading influence of water on our lives.
Essentially a journey, of a river and its people, it celebrates communities working together for a better future, realising how precious our waterways are, and how the surrounding landscapes affect those waterways.
Blue Spring at the upper Waihou is internationally acclaimed for the purity of its water. The spring is fed from the Mamaku Plateau. It takes up to 100 years for the water to filter through the earth before emerging as the Blue Spring. The result is a beautiful translucent blue pool of crystal clear water.
As the water moves from its purest underground form to the Firth of Thames, the quality of the water is compromised.
When Captain Cook first sailed up the Waihou it was lined with towering kahikatea forest and was interrupted by the Falls of Awotonga. In 1879, the falls were destroyed by 200 pounds (91 kilograms) of dynamite to free the navigation of the river for shipping. The kahikatea forests were unique, dating back to the Jurassic period. Pterodactyls rather than birds, would have feasted in the trees. The berries were a valued food source by Māori who climbed the giants to collect the bright orange berries.
The source of the Waihou river is found in the Raukawa tribal area. It holds spiritual and cultural significance to the iwi as kaitiaki (guardians) of the upper Waihou.