Te Rau Aroha

At Waitangi Treaty Grounds in Paihia is this carved Maori Pou. These pou are distinctive as they present two different faces. As you enter, the pou represent the hulls of waka (canoes) placed to mark where the bones of the dead were laid to rest. These scorched hulls are a monument to those who suffered through wars. As you leave Te Rau Aroha, the carvings now stand for Tumatauenga, the god of war, and Rongo, the god of peace. You can see Tū reaching over to his brother Rongo, returning the energy of the ātea to him and for peace to once again prevail. They were carved by master carver Te Warihi Hetaraka (Ngāti Wai, Ngāpuhi, Tainui) and Poutama Hetaraka (Ngāti Wai, Ngāi Tahu ki Waiwera), with assistance from the carvers of the Hihiaua Cultural Centre, Whangarei.

Information taken from the Waitangi Treaty Grounds Facebook page.

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