By Kira Carrington, Local Democracy Reporter
The welcoming of a kōhatu, or sacred stone, marked the official reopening of Picton’s London Quay after its revitalisation.
A dawn ceremony was held at at the new kōhatu, named Te Punga Toitū, or the Enduring Anchor, on the corner of London Quay and High Street on Tuesday. The revitalisation last year brought new pavement, raised pedestrian crossings, plant boxes and bench seating.
The kōhatu was found near Rai Valley and carved at Waikawa Marae by stonecarver Maia Hegglun, who said his carving simply revealed the story the stone had to tell.
“I can’t take the full credit there. In fact, I can take very little. I really just put the stone in the driver’s seat and followed along.”
The stone featured a combination of natural and man-made elements that represented the passage of time and the story of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui from mythological times to colonisation.
“If you just view the bits that are carved, you don't get much from it,” he said.
“But when you view it with the man-made bits and the natural parts together, it starts to make a little more sense.
“In order to unravel that story, all you need to do is ask questions and be observant.”
The welcome was marked by waiata before the gathered crowd was invited to touch the kōhatu.
Landscape architect and director of Nelson-based Waka Group Architecture Keni-Duke Hetet thanked everyone who had been involved in the project.
“It's been an honour and a privilege for me to work on this project for the whānau,” he said.
While the project marked the close relationship between the iwi and Marlborough District Council, Keni-Duke said there was still room for stronger bonds.
“Our relationship between iwi and councils, it's getting better, but it could even be a lot better than what it is currently,” he said.
“I just want to put that wero (challenge) out to the councils at the moment ... we need to strengthen those ties and make this whole approach to our cities and townships throughout the country even better than what it is.”
The ceremony was attended by the members of Te Ātiawa, Mayor Nadine Taylor, Councillors Barbara Faulls, Raylene Innes, and Allanah Burgess, Council staff, and contractors Fulton Hogan.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
