Pou Kapūa

Pou Kapūa in Manukau is the tallest Māori/Pacific carving in the world. At 20 metres high with a diameter of about 2 metres and weighing 20 tonnes, it is a magnificent icon, a symbol of our identity as the people of the land, of the Pacific, and as Kiwis that we can all be proud of.

The story of the Pou
The story begins in the sacred house of knowledge.  The Māori understands that all things created have the power of the Spirit.  The Māori spirituality is such that the belief is that the supreme spirit, Matua Kore, enters into his descendants as a ddream, whereby the land will appear like a pillar (Pou Kapūa), long as a white cloud - Aotearoa.  An acknowledgement of the creation, the great migrations and a memorial to the explorers who attained, refined and passed on their knowledge.  Many figures large and small have their place on the Pou including Tangaroa, the guardian of the oceans; Kupe, Polynesian explorer extraordinaire; Maui, demigod, adventurer; Tawhaki, attainer of the baskets of knowledge; and Matakerepo, holder of the sacred knowledge to the gateways of the heavens are also carved on the Pou.

Pou Kapūa - traditional, authentic, unique
A world-first.  Pou Kapūa is intricately carved in three dimensional-style from ancient trees known as kauri and totara which are painted, oiled and decorated with greenstone (pounamu), abalone (paua), crystal and other adornments.  The 50,000 year old swamp kauri depicts the dreamtime stories of the Aboriginal peoples, figures from the Kanak of New Caledonia, faces from our Cree carve of Saskatchewan and the story of ohana (family) which is carved by our Hawaiian carver.  Standing as sentries on each side of Pou Kapūa are two Rapanui or Easter Island carvings know as moai (3 metres high, each weighing 3 tonnes), hand sculpted by two Rapanui carvers from hinuera stone.

Why Pou Kapūa was created
For almost two hundred years, through processes of foreign domination and assimilation, many of the taonga of the tangata whenua of Aotearoa, such as our language (Te Reo), weaving (Raranga) and carving (Whakairo) have been denigrated, suppressed or lost. Therefore, Wikuki Kingi with Tania Wolfgramm, knowing that they would be supported by their families  (whanau), marae, friends and people, decided to undertake the carving of a large, significant Māori Taonga (treasure), Pou Kapūa. This Taonga is a symbol and icon that can serve to regain some of what has been lost and to show our people, from our children (Tamariki) to our elderly (kaumatua) the beauty that we have inside us; to strengthen our mana and to reveal important aspects of our cultural heritage in a positive and powerful way.

Pou Kapūa at Manukau – the centre for cultural tourism

Gifted to the world from Pou Kapua Creations, our visiting guest carvers, the tribes and people of Aotearoa, Pou Kapūa now stands at Manukau, at the TelstraClear Pacific Cultural Events Centre. Manukau has the largest population of Māori and Pacific peoples and 165 different ethnic groups live within its boundaries, and to stand here was the obvious choice. Pou Kapūa is only 15 minutes from Auckland Airport and you are invited to experience Pou Kapūa first hand. This Taonga narrates our values in a powerful and positive way. It will serve to strengthen us both at a collective and an individual level. This magnificent icon, an artistic representation and symbol of who we are and how unique we are, will now be a national showcase to a global audience.