Pou Whenua

Soaring up to the tree tops at the entrance to the Arataki Visitor Centre, this striking pou whenua (land marker) was carved from fallen kauri from the Waitākere Ranges.

The pou represents the ancestry of Te Kawerau ā Maki, the tangata whenua of the Waitākere Ranges. Starting with the oldest tupuna (ancestor) at the top of the pou, there is Tiriwā, after whom the Waitākere Ranges are named, Te Wao Nui o Tiriwā (the great forest of Tiriwā).

The second figure represents Hape, the senior tohunga (priest) on the Tainui waka (canoe). Hape was influential in the area naming places like Titirangi and Piha. The third figure is Hoturoa, the captain of the Tainui waka.

The fourth figure represents Maki, Tāmaki Makaurau is named after him. The fifth figure is the son of Maki, Te Kawerau ā Maki from whom the tribe takes its name. The sixth figure is Te Hawiti, great grandson of Maki, who controlled the lands from Muriwai to Manukau.

This is the second pou whenua to stand at the entrance of the Arataki Centre. It replaced the original pou (1994-2009).