Artwork Information

Ko Arekahānara tōku hāona kaha;

Ko Kemureti tōku oko horoi;

Ko Ngāruawāhia tōku tūrangawaewae

Alexandra [present-day Pirongia] will ever be a symbol of my strength of character

Cambridge a symbol of my wash bowl of sorrow

and Ngāruawāhia my footstool

Renowned carver and sculptor Brett Graham created this installation Tūrangawaewae, 1998 based on the famous tongi or prophetic saying from the second Māori King Tāwhiao Matutaera Potatau Te Wherowhero – a statement of unity, pride and strategic positioning

King Tāwhiao (circa 1825–1894) was regarded as a visionary who bequeathed wisdom in the form of prescient, philosophical and politically astute sayings which his Waikato iwi (tribes) still follow today. As a tribal descendant, Graham’s installation speaks to that legacy and to his interest in Tāwhiao’s teachings.