Waka Maumahara
Caine Taihia (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Niue)
Beach Road & Britomart Place
The 9m tall work embodies remembrance through a symbolic waka carrying the depth of history from Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei that comes with keeping the fires burning in Tāmaki.
The work is anchored by key design elements that speak to cultural knowledge and environmental relationships. The matau reflects sustenance and the importance of the moana, while the whakarare patterning speaks to movement, transformation and resilience over time. Together, they ground the work in both continuity and change.
Complementing these forms are references to kotare and te kawau, representing the balance between whenua and moana, and pouwhenua forms, which act as guardianship figures symbolising protection, presence and ahi kā within Tāmaki Makaurau.
Kupenga Rau
Uira Nahi (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Hau)
Beach Road, Te Tōangaroa
Comprising six interconnected sculptural elements, Kupenga Rau explores navigation, guardianship, sustenance and whakapapa. Each sculptural element references atua, ancestral knowledge and the enduring relationship between people and the moana.
From Taurapa representing Tāwhaki as protector and guide, through to the hoe that acknowledge Tangaroa, Ranginui and Papatūānuku, the work forms a woven narrative of identity, environment and interconnection - honouring both traditional knowledge systems and contemporary Māori expression.
Tauihu & Taurapa
Arama Tamariki-Enua (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Tumu-te-Varovaro (Rarotonga), Ara’ura (Aitutaki))
Te Kōmititanga, Commercial Bay
Māhuhu ki te Rangi Park, Te Tōangaroa
Tauihu sets the tone for the trail reflecting movement, direction and the guiding force of waka. It speaks to the Waihorotiu Valley as a historic pathway of flow and connection, anchoring the narrative at the base of the city’s original waterway.
Taurapa, a large-scale sculptural work exploring contemporary waka forms through a 9m industrial, forward-facing design language that reflects growth, transformation and possibility.
Angular sculptural elements reference traditional carving processes, while integrated lighting sequences move through ribbed forms and carved detailing.
Takarangi and niho taniwha references anchor the work within whakapapa, while its overall form reflects movement and future direction.
Te Mātahi o te Tau
Extended Whānau
Māhuhu ki te Rangi Park, Te Tōangaroa
The Te Mātahi o te installation is a luminous gathering point for our urban community in the heart of our precinct at Māhuhu ki te Rangi Park. A place to come together, reflect on the year that’s passed, and to look to the future.
For Māori, the cross hatches on tukutuku panel often represent stars shining in the night sky. This installation acknowledges that connection between whetū (stars) and whatu (weaving). Strands of light weave together to create the star Matariki, and a colourful lightshow takes us on a journey through Te Iwa o Matariki (The Nine Stars of Matariki).
Waitematā
Maraea Shaw (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Whātua Kaipara, Ngāti Toa Rangatira)
Drawing inspiration from the Waitematā, the designs speak to the movement of waka across water, carrying the stories of the tangata whenua, whakapapa and knowledge across generations, through shifting ripples and flow.
Positioned throughout the trail, these works extend the visual storytelling of Tūhono across the precinct, helping weave together each installation into one connected experience.