After careful restoration and an emotional welcome from his people, the carved image of Te Arawa leader Pukaki was moved to its permanent position at Rotorua Museum.
Through early morning mist, Tamanui te ra (the sun) shone on the face of Pukaki, the ancestor of Ngati Whakaue and Te Arawa, as he sat at the iwi's paramount marae at Ohinemutu on Saturday.
His descendants helped move the 176-year-old carving from Te Papaiouru Marae into the new Don Stafford wing, singing and performing before being carried along the lakefront to the new home.
It took 18 men to move the carving, that was joined on the hikoi by another Te Arawa taonga (treasure), Te Kahumamae o Pareraututu, a woven dog skin cloak from Ngati Rangitihi that will also feature in the exhibition.
Pukaki descendant and Ohinemutu resident, 11-year-old Whakaaio Nopera, said Pukaki represented his hapu of Ngati Whakaue.
"To me I see him as being a great, great, great, great, great grandfather because I am whakapapa to him," he said.
"The museum will be a safe place for him and they will take good care of him, plus he's going to be with other Te Arawa taonga to keep him company."
Ngati Whakaue's Wiremu Keepa said conditions within the museum would help preserve Pukaki for all the world to see.
"Everybody here at the marae knows that Pukaki is their tupuna (ancestor), everybody is blessed to see him here today, we can see him in the flesh, in the sun, in the fresh air and we can get up close to him and touch him," he said.
Wikitoria Flavell bought her mokopuna (grandchild) to tautoko (support) and sing to Pukaki.
"It's an honour to be here today, he's come back to his kainga (home) and is back among his people," she said.
Among the crowd was the director of Germany's Hamburg Museum, Wulf Kopke, who said he was moved by how the people were touched by the artefacts of their ancestors.
"It is a world class exhibition and Pukaki will attract people from all around the world," he said.
"Pukaki will do something for his people and we will promote the Rotorua Museum, Maori culture and Rotorua back in Germany."
Dr Paul Tapsell, professor of Maori Studies at Otago University and author of the book Pukaki, said the gifting of the carving to the Crown in 1887 was a symbol of trust between Ngati Whakaue, allowing the Crown to build the Rotorua township.
"Pukaki opened the door for the development of the town. The Crown made a promise of shared governance," Dr Tapsell said.
"It's wonderful, the people belong to this taonga and he is our grandfather. No one owns Pukaki, he guides us."