Maori cavings on the pou (guardian pole) at the Arataki Visitor Centre, Waitakere Ranges Regional Park.

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Carvings created by local Iwi (tribe) Te Kawerau a Maki are a main feature of Arataki. A 12 metre pou (guardian post), carved by the people of Te Kawerau a Maki and depicting their ancestors, stands at the entrance to the visitor centre. This pou, unveiled by Kiingi Tuheitia (the Maori King) in 2011, replaced the building’s original carving that had become irreparably damaged by weather over time. The carvings remind us of the importance of our native forest and the relationship we all have with it. They tell the stories of Te Kawerau a Maki, as local mana whenua or guardians of the land. The whakairo (carvings) inside the building were carved out of two kauri trees taken from the great forest of Tiriwa (the Waitakere Ranges) by Te Kawerau a Maki and depict their illustrious ancestors. Because of the importance of accuracy this information has been taken from the Auckland Regional Council website ( ) where more details on the carvings is available.

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Size: 2764px × 4155px
Photo credit: © Carol Bond / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: aotearoa, auckland, carving, carvings, craftsmanship, culture, kauri, male, man, maori, masculine, men, oceania, pole, pou, summer, tiriwa, waitakere