Te Taitokerau: Maara Kai

The amo, maihi and kaitiaki were the product of a weekend wananga led by a local master carver, art tutor and others. The kōwhaiwhai design depicts the ngutukaka kowhai valued by Māori for its ability to fix nitrogen in infertile soils and attract nectar feeding birds, the maihi design pays reference to the pikopiko shoots of edible plants reaching toward the sun and reflects the strength and nurturing of whānau, while kaitiaki depict Rongo-mā-Tāne, the god of cultivated foods and Haumia-tiketike, the god of uncultivated foods. Pehiaweri Marae Committee chairman Les Wakefield and Maara Kai project leader Kingi Kake are pictured at the entranceway to the Glenbervie-based garden.