The carved pou named Tāne Mahuta has been restored and returned to the Whanganui River Rd main entrance by the Department of Conservation. Photo / Jim Campbell, Department of Conservation
The carved pou named Tāne Mahuta has been restored and returned to the Whanganui River Rd main entrance by the Department of Conservation. Photo / Jim Campbell, Department of Conservation
A carved pou named Tāne Mahuta has been restored by a team of expert carvers and returned to its rightful place at the entrance of the Whanganui River Rd.
The pou or pou whenua (a carved wooden post used to mark boundaries or places of significance) was carved in the1990s by the late Rua Cribb. The design connects mana whenua and symbolises strength and the resilience of the forest and the awa.
During the years the pou has stood at the Whanganui entrance to the Whanganui River Rd, the elements took a toll on the structure.
The pou was restored over several months at a dedicated carving facility at Te Ao Hou Marae. Some of the restoration carvers trained under the tutelage of Cribb.
At Te Ao Hou Marae, the next generation of carvers is supporting the revitalisation of toi whakairo [traditional arts] in Whanganui.
A small ceremony on October 11 involved representatives of Whanganui River iwi and Department of Conservation (DoC) staff overseeing the delicate process of reinstating the pou.
The success was commemorated with karakia.
Marae custodian Geoff Hipango said the pou represented what Whanganui iwi held dear in terms of the river.
