Pou project links Pirongia to Maungatautari
Strengthening connections through art
Nine pou will find a home along the Mangapiko Stream from Maungatautari to Pirongia as part of the Taie te Taiao project led by New Zealand Landcare Trust.
In Māori culture, a pou is a carved wooden post or pillar that serves as a symbol of strength and support.
Waipā District Council’s Strategic Planning and Policy Committee approved one of the pou being installed on Mutu Street in Te Awamutu, through the council’s Art Policy.
The remaining eight pou will be located on private property.
The Taie te Taiao is a fiveyear project that aims to link Maungatautari to Pirongia via an ecological corridor between the waterways.
Te Kanohi representative Bill Harris said the pou would be placed near the middle of Te Awamutu for everyone to admire and enjoy.
The steel pou on Mutu St, across the road from War Memorial Park, will identify Kaipaka Pā and represent the peace wāhine have brought to Waipā and the importance of trade at the Mangapiko and
Mangaohoi stream.
“It is a magnificent piece of artwork done by a very skilled Māori carver, in a form that will last us a very long time,” said Harris.
A mana whenua group made up of Waipā hapū, including Ngāti Apakura, is supportive of the pou.
“In terms of a piece of
artwork, it supports the cultural mitigation criteria that we needed to connect us to Koroki Kahukura in terms of the new Te Awamutu town water supply.”
The nine pou acknowledge cultural sites of significance, provide a sense of place and link to the local history of preEuropean settlement trade of
flax, flour, fruit and tuna (eels).
In addition, signage will be in place to tell the story and share the narratives. They will be funded externally by Te Runanga o Ngāti Apakura and the Taiea te Taiao project.
The date for installation will be confirmed after fundraising to meet the full cost.