New Waka Installation Takes Its Place at Nelson Airport
Nelson Airport and the eight iwi of Te Tauihu marked a significant milestone this morning with a dawn blessing for a major new waka installation within the region’s main gateway.
Named Aorere Ararau, the waka spans 22 metres, weighs over 1.3 tonnes, and took over 1,000 hours to manufacture and install. Recalling the form of some of the earliest waka present in the region, it is fixed to the angled ridgepole of the terminal ceiling in the arrivals and departures area. It was deliberately designed to work with the award-winning place-inspired architecture of the redeveloped terminal, which opened in 2018.
The waka functions as a tomokanga – a gateway or portal into the region – locating all those who pass beneath it within the stories and identity of Te Tauihu. It is adorned with bespoke cultural patterning, including whekū (carved faces) representing the eight iwi of the region, with a central pairing acknowledging tauiwi (those who have made this place home) and manuhiri (visitors). Kōwhaiwhai patterning extends from the hull onto the glass entrance panes of the terminal, and hundreds of internal LEDs illuminate the work from within.
The design and execution spanned over 14 months and was realised through a collaborative process between the eight iwi of Te Tauihu, Nelson Airport, cultural design specialists, artists, structural engineers, and fabricators.
"Aorere Ararau celebrates our origins and our identity as people of Te Tauihu. To have our story reflected with such quality and confidence, in one of our most important civic spaces, is significant for us as iwi. We are proud to share this taonga with our whole community and all those who pass through our rohe," said Justin Carter, Chief Executive of Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui.
"Nelson Airport carries a big responsibility as the first and last impression for many people entering the region. Aorere Ararau ensures that experience is grounded in the culture, stories, and identity of this place - and it does so with a beauty and sophistication we are immensely proud of. That is a testament to the strength of the partnership we have built with Ngā Iwi o Te Tauihu," said Brendan Cook, Chief Executive of Nelson Airport.
Aorere Ararau is part of a wider commitment to cultural expression and storytelling at the airport and supports a regional effort to lift the visibility of toi Māori, spurred on by the city’s arts and creativity strategy He Tātai Whetū that was adopted by Nelson City Council in 2022.