Te Hononga o Ngā Tangata

From a single tōtara log, Sunnah Thompson has carved a tall, slim pou whenua (land marker). The pou was commissioned as part of the Auckland Transport Te Ara Mua Future Streets project, which improves the streets and surrounding areas for the pedestrians and cyclists of Māngere Town Centre. The pou is accompanied by a sculpture at the northern end of the town centre, from Te Ākitai carver Chris Wade, and both pou were unveiled in November 2016.

Thompson first picked up carving tools as a teenager, under the guidance of Jock McEwan (historian, linguist and master carver) at Upper Hutt College. Thompson returned to Auckland to be closer to his whānau (family) and marae and received his first commission at the age of 22. After more than 20 years of carving the whakapapa (genealogy) of Tāmaki Makaurau, the artist says his work has brought him closer to his tūpuna (ancestors) and provided him with a deeper understanding of himself and his whakapapa.