Pou reflect community connections

PADDLES UP! For a series of pou installed alongside Eastland Port upper log yard, Gisborne artist Nick Tupara took the waka and Ngati Oneone’s close association with Kopuawhakapata Stream as his inspiration. The koru scroll design on the pou in the picture symbolises rippling water while the six-pointed star motif recognises Rawiri Te Eke-tu-o-te-Rangi who the nearby marae is named after. The feather depicted on a lower section of the pou represents the mana of the site. Pictures by Paul Rickard

WAKA-inspired carvings designed by artist Nick Tupara in association with Ngati Oneone and Eastland Port, have been installed alongside the port’s upper log yard.

Posted in the gardens and alcoves at intervals along the Crawford Road and Parau Street wall, the pou are an integral part of the yard's landscaped exterior. Construction of the alcoved wall, landscaping and pou were part of a collaborative project between Ngati Oneone and the port, says Tupara.

The folded form used in the pou helps strengthen design while suggesting the form of a waka.

“The V-shape refers to waka and allows for the play of light on the patterns. The forms contrast with the flatness of the wall and highlight the contours of the garden.”

The sides of the pou are made from dark and light sheets of laminated plywood. Although the design is uniform, each pou has its own character. Router-cut patterns in the layered plywood allow dark or lighter wood tones to highlight colour changes.

The various koru scroll designs refer to the waters of the adjacent Kopuawhakapata River that once flowed alongside the site. The patterns are symbolic of rippling water and the many springs used for healing by Ngati Oneone ancestors, says Tupara.

The koru scroll design also represents the Ngati Oneone people and the community that have lived in the area.

The tall carvings are designed to withstand strong winds so are supported by steel spines, which are are not just buttresses but an integral part of the aesthetic.

Further layer of textureAlong with the patterns in the router-cut ply, steel shows through parts of the design to add another layer of texture and contrast to the design.

“I didn’t want the steel spines to dominant but be an integral part of the design,” says Tupara.

Details include patterns of triangular shapes that reflect taniko, traditional Maori weaving designs. They are incorporated here to highlight the strength of the female ancestry of Ngati Oneone, particularly their foundation ancestor Hamo Te Rangi.

The six-pointed star motif recognises Rawiri Te Tu-o-Te Rangi who the nearby marae is named after. The feather represents the mana of the site, says Tupara.

“The pou are a reconfirmation of the neighbourly relationship between the Port and Ngati Oneone.

“We are always looking for opportunities when we can overlap and work together. Here we are able to share some the cultural heritage of this particular site through art."

The canoe forms of the pou commemorate the connection between land and water for people in the area, says Tupara.

Kopuawhakapata Stream, a substantial river in the old days, once ran alongside Crawford Road. These days the stream runs via pipes under the Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club to the Turanganui. The junction of the rivers is beneath the Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club.

“The drainage pipe continues alongside Wainui Road. The old people say moa once followed the river bank.

“The river was also a place for transport by waka. You wouldn’t park your waka in the fast-flowing Turanganui River. You would turn off and paddle up the waterway to park there.”

The Kopuawhakapata from Kaiti to WainuiThe Kopuawhakapata once flowed inland across the area now known as Kaiti to Wainui, says Tupara. The waterway was a means to travel to that part of the coast without having to deal with an open ocean route.

“You could paddle your canoe to Wainui into what was called Shark Bay for a time. That is where the Tuahine Point lighthouse is. People would fish for shark there. The pou recognise the presence of those waka.”

The course of the river was once travelled by moa. Early Ngati Oneone ancestors followed then horse and carts and now it forms part of state highway 35.

It was because of this the former Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae was once located at this site. Installation of the pou, and the landscaping, was a major project for Ngati Oneone to get involved in, says Tupara.

“That is the kind of relationship we want.”

He hopes this is the beginning of a number of projects that include the navigation project, inner harbour development and Kaiti Hill pine harvest and restoration.

“The opportunities to showcase culture and history are under discussion. We hope to see other developments in 2016. All projects have included discussion with the port and iwi.”

Projects such as these and relationships such as that between Ngati Oneone and Eastland Port are huge for the community, says Tupara.