Sculptures installed depicting rich cultural history of Tauranga’s Te Papa Peninsula

One of the three sculptures on Cameron Rd, Tauranga. Photo / Matt Hunt, Tauranga City Council

Three huge sculptures depicting some of the rich cultural history of Tauranga’s Te Papa Peninsula have been installed as part of an upgrade of Cameron Rd.

Tauranga artist and carver Whare Thompson (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua and Te Whakatōhea) worked with mana whenua on the works, which are made with Corten steel and Hinuera stone.

The work at First Ave is based on the kō or traditional wooden digging stick as a reminder the area was once a place of fertile and productive gardens.

The fountain design on top of 'Pataka' at Seventh Ave is designed to catch rainwater which will gently spray out, symbolising the life cycle of growth. Photo / Matt Hunt

At Seventh Ave there’s a fountain based on a pātaka or and featuring an intricate kowhaiwhai belonging to Ngāi Tamarāwaho.

The fountain design on top of the structure is designed to catch rainwater which will gently spray out, symbolising the life cycle of growth.

'Manaakitanga' at the SH2/Fifteenth Ave intersection of Cameron Road tells a special story from the battle of Battle of Pukehinahina/Gate Pā, as well as representing the showing of care and respect for people. Photo / Matt Hunt

At the intersection of Fifteenth Ave and SH2 there is a stone sculpture of a water-carrying taha or bottle gourd representing the concept of manaakitanga – the showing of care and respect for people.

Whare says it’s a reference to the Battle of Pukehinahina/Gate Pā in April 1864, when some Māori women are known to have tended to wounded soldiers by giving them water and loading them onto horses so they could be taken to the field hospital for treatment.

Ngāi Tamarāwaho spokesperson Buddy Mikaere says the works not only capture some key aspects of hapū history but are also a tribute to the late Peri Kohu, who strongly influenced many of the cultural aspects of the Cameron Rd upgrade before he died in 2022.

“I think Peri would have been very pleased with the outcome,” Mikaere says.

The artworks were unveiled at a dawn blessing last weekend.

Commissioner Bill Wasley says it’s great to celebrate the successful completion of this stage of the Cameron Rd upgrade, which has created better, safer connections across the Te Papa Peninsula as well as making it more attractive and providing more ways to move around.

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