Description:

Fonterra is on a journey to create a deeper, more meaningful relationship with te ao Māori – one which respects, celebrates and integrates Māori culture within the Co-operative, embracing it as a key part of its identity, story, and culture and values.

Te Pou Mātāpuna is a physical manifestation and representation of this relationship – a stake in the ground that marks the coming together of te ao Māori and the co-operative’s Good Together philosophy. It tells the story of the Co-operative’s past, present and future ambitions, of the organisation’s core values and its commitment to connect closer to te ao Māori – a tangible, iconic reminder that its strength and success come from working together and from connection to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Sculpted from a single native Tōtara extended to us by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and carved by the hands of Mana Whenua through Master Carver Arekatera Maihi, the development and installation of the Pou was a highly collaborative voices with input from many voices inside and outside of the Co-operative.

As a celebration of the kaupapa and a recognition of those who contributed to its creation, we created a taonga for each person – pieces of the Tōtara cut from the Pou during the carving process, individually crafted into unique shapes which drew their inspiration from traditional Māori pounamu. These taonga serve as both a symbol of our appreciation for the contribution of every individual to the kaupapa, and an extension of the Pou that they can proudly carry with them.