Description:

Ngā Ara Tipuna was initiated and codesigned by mana whenua of Waipukurau-Takapau, who wished to share their authentic stories of this land with their hapū and the wider community. The project, realised in partnership with Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, also needed to cater to the needs of local residents and education groups.

The key objective was to provide a counterpoint to existing Eurocentric histories of Waipukurau-Takapau. This would allow mana whenua to celebrate their stories and also awaken locals to the fascinating histories that are obscured by the contemporary built environment of the towns.

Informed by focus groups with hapū, residents, teachers, and highschool students, we devised an interconnected suite of media. This included: a mobile phone tour, a website full of resources and interactives, interpretive signage, sculptural structures, whakairo (carvings) and other artwork. All are available to the community free of charge.

Pukekaihau Pā (now Hunter Memorial Park, central Waipukurau) thrived from the 1600s until the 1830s. To welcome visitors we installed a whare kōrero, steelcut with whakairo by local carvers. Inside, large recreations show what Pukekaihau Pā and the wider rohe might have looked like during the times of the tīpuna – when this was a more watery landscape. We also positioned palisades of local kānuka to evoke the pā tuwatawata (fortified pā) that once stood at the summit. Two lookouts on the hillside provide insights on the nextwork of pā, mahinga kai (food gathering places), waterways and forests that once covered this rohe.

Pou at Pukekaihau Pā and seven other places of cultural signifance across the rohe feature interpretive text and whakairo. They invite visitors to learn about these places using the mobile phone tour, which contains a series of video stories from mana whenua.

To make all installations accessible to the community, we situated them near road accessways. We also constructed seating and parking areas.

Complementary to the compact mobile phone tour, which is designed to be used while standing on the land, is a content-rich website: to be explored from home or the classroom. The website features audiovisual timelines of the history of the rohe and its vibrant present. Interactives of Pukekaihau Pā and the wider Waipukurau-Takapau area allow users to engage with aspects of daily life on the pā circa 1600 or zoom in on pā and mahinga kai across the rohe.

This is a small sample of the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community:

‘Amazing mahi to get it implemented and in place - the history it represents and mana of all involved is incredible - a taonga for all.’

‘I Love these. The 1st I’ve visited here in Hawkes Bay are lovely. They make me feel comfortable and safe love them 🤗😘’

‘Took my girls there today, they loved it and so did I. With one a Samoan and the other Maori it was awesome for them to see what went before… so important to know the history and where one of them at least, came from. What natural riches could have been shared...’