Pōhutukawa star attraction
A wooden and metal equivalent of a pōhutukawa tree is under construction for display at the Matariki Festival in Invercargill next month.
The Tū turu Charitable Trust, which is organising the event, has arranged for MenzShed Invercargill to build the kitset tree.
MenzShed manager Peter Bailey said the tree had a metal base with easily attached limbs, branches and twigs made from macrocarpa timber.
‘‘We’ve never made anything like this before – it’s a complete challenge.
‘‘It’s got to be strong enough to withstand kids swinging on it, and it’s got to be safe.’’
When finished, the tree might be up to 3 metres high and 4m in diameter, Bailey said. ‘‘The total weight of it could be 600kg or 700kg.’’
MenzShed is making 10,000 red polypropylene nametags for people to hang on the tree. People can write the names of loved ones on the tags.
The members are also making 10,000 yellow polypropylene tags, 1000 wooden stars and 300 moons for placement in other parts of the festival site.
The stars and moons are cut from sheets of plywood by a computer numeric control router made by MenzShed committee member Simon Seear. A programme with details of the required design is written and sent to the router.
The stars and moons would be taken to schools for painting, while the timber on the pōhutukawa tree would be given a wood stain, Bailey said.
This year will mark the fourth Matariki Festival held by the Tū turu Charitable Trust. Its creative director, Sharne Parkinson, wants this year’s festival to be bigger and better than last year’s.
Music would be played as people wrote the names of loved ones on tags and then put them on the pōhutukawa tree at the festival, she said.
‘‘They’ll get moved by audio tracks that we’re hoping will help them with the healing process a little bit more.’’
Parkinson is looking forward to seeing the wooden and metal equivalent of a pōhutukawa tree when it’s finished.
‘‘It’s going to be beautiful.’’ The first national public holiday to celebrate Matariki will be on Friday, June 24.
Matariki – sometimes referred to as Mā ori New Year – marks the beginning of the new year for many iwi with the reappearance of the Matariki constellation (Pleiades) in the east.
People will be ‘‘moved by audio tracks that we’re hoping will help them with the healing process a little bit more’’.
Sharne Parkinson Tūturu Charitable Trust creative director