The Bay of Plenty Times chief photographer John Borren visited Tauranga carver John Williams recently.
Guitar maker and carver Williams was one of two carvers of Taurikura, the Tauranga post that once watched over State Highway 36. The other post was carved in Rotorua. Early October, the two just unveiled pou (ornamental carved posts) were attacked and felled by someone using a chainsaw.
Together the posts represented the two iwi from the Kaharoa Mangorewa area and stood at the entranceway to the Mangorewa/Kaharoa Gorge.
Mr Williams said he hoped the vandalism was not race-based, but felt saddened at the possibility.
"I am European and have no Maori heritage, so for me it's even more of a privilege that my work was acceptable. I just want them to know that we should all be accepting of each other. We are all Kiwis."
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