These whakairo are vessels of mauri and memory, created in collaboration with students of Papanui High, and guided by tikanga, kawa, whakapapa, kaupapa, and artistry. The structural integrity of the original maihi and tekoteko were badly degenerating, so it was determined that longevity and contemporary materials were needed for this project. With funding from the Rata Foundation and the Department of Internal Affairs, kaiwhakairo removed the original maihi and tekoteko from Te Whatu Kura o Papanui, storing them with the two original pou at the WCCT papamahi.These whakairo are vessels of mauri and memory, created in collaboration with students of Papanui High, and guided by tikanga, kawa, whakapapa, kaupapa, and artistry. The structural integrity of the original maihi and tekoteko were badly degenerating, so it was determined that longevity and contemporary materials were needed for this project. With funding from the Rata Foundation and the Department of Internal Affairs, kaiwhakairo removed the original maihi and tekoteko from Te Whatu Kura o Papanui, storing them with the two original pou at the WCCT papamahi.
We held hui with whānau, kaiwhakairo, mana whenua, kaiako and tauira to discuss the assessment and methodology required to re-create the original carvings, identify the tikanga required to invoke and transfer the mauri of the original carvings and te nehu / burial of the original carvings. Using tikanga and kawa, a burial ceremony was conducted for the transfer of the mauri of the original carvings and into a pounamu kōhatu. Once completed, the original carvings– e Tuku Mauri and Te Nehu ngā Taonga, were buried under ceremony at a burial site located on Papanui High Schools whenua.
With the inclusion of tauira, two carved panels were designed and created with the help of our kaiwhakairo. Then we commenced fabricating two new pou and maihi utilising laser, CNC, corten and stainless steel, working from the digital scans of the original pou.
Our kaiwhakairo also carved a new tekoteko in tōtara, in the same image and form as the original tekoteko. Our board members and kaiwhakairo facilitated a dawn whakanoa with karakia whakatūwhera, leading to kaiako, tauira, whānau, and mana whenua, transferring the mauri from the pounamu kōhatu to these newly installed carvings.
Kaiwhakairo installed the new maihi and tekoteko on Te Whatu Kura o Papanui and the two new pou in J Block. At the centre stands Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga, carved into the tekoteko as the eternal disruptor and re-weaver of reality. His presence here reminds us that the path to wisdom is never linear, but full of daring mistakes, challenges, and insights.
The design elements woven into each maihi reflect the legacies of Māui – his ingenuity, adaptability, and fearless transformation. Their lines echo the stretching arms of welcome and challenge, while their structure ensures they will endure the generations. They are made not only to honour the past but to inform the descendants yet to come. In placing traditional symbolism within modern form, these maihi remind us that culture is not static. It adapts, just as Māui did. They are a call to future learners: to be courageous, to innovate, and to reach beyond what is known. Together with the tekoteko, these maihi form a complete expression of past, present, and potential, and the motifs hold the interconnectedness of all living things within the ascending pathway of learning. The kōwhaiwhai design that borders the work draws directly from the original carvings of the school, creating a living continuity between past and present. This panel is not simply visual. It is a coded karakia, calling students to remember who they are, where they stand, and what they are yet to become. The re-creation of two pou, two whakairo panels, and the adornments upon the whare, embody poutama – the ascending steps of learning, understanding, and identity. They reflect not only the journey of each student, but the aspirations of this kura, the mana of the whenua, and the legacy of all who are connected to this land.
