DATE: |
19
May 2008 |
TITLE: |
Poupou Ready
for Unveiling |
Te Rununga o Ngati
Rehia has marked its relationship with the land, Kerikeri and the Far
North District Council in a graphic and traditional presentation of
two poupou at the northern and southern entrances to the new Kerikeri
Heritage Bypass.
The poupou were blessed at a ceremony at Kerikeri on Friday and transported
to the bypass site ready to be erected.
Carved locally from totara logs recovered from the bypass route during
the early construction stages, the poupou will stand over six metres
tall to mark Ngati Rehia's special relationship with the project and
the community.
The poupou will be erected this week but will remain covered until the
bypass is ready to take traffic. A date for the unveiling has still
to be determined.
The taonga were carved by Rameka Reweti and Hemi Rihari in consultation
with the late Remarie (Ray) Kapa.
The poupou acknowledge the goodwill developed in the course of the bypass
project, Ngati Rehia's associations with the land and the integration
of the community in the post-European development of the area.
The poupou project was funded with the assistance of the Far North District
Council, Eastern Community Board and the local business community.
A number of Maori artifacts recovered during earthworks on the bypass
route are still being preserved and will be returned to Ngati Rehia
when the process has been completed.
For further information please
contact:-
Rick McCall
Communications Officer
PH 0800 920 029 |
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Page created/updated: 20 May, 2008
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