Pou whenua blessing held in Moerewa

Completion of a $1.9 million stormwater project in Moerewa was celebrated last month with the unveiling a pou whenua (marker post) on the popular Pou Herenga Tai - Twin Cycle Trail.

The pou was carved by local  artist Josie Kemp-Baker and is dedicated to telling the story of Moerewa. The pou’s large koru signifies new beginnings for hapū ancestors who traversed the oceans and made their home in Moerewa. Six circles embedded in the piece represent the story of past, present and future peoples and marks the stepping stones to the area’s growth.

The pou, which is located at end of Reed Street, was commissioned and completed within seven  weeks to coincide with the completion of the long-awaited stormwater improvements project.

The stormwater improvement project was undertaken following two severe storm events in July 2015 and July 2020 that resulted in widespread flooding across Moerewa and Ōtiria. The floods inundated houses, garages, sections and roads in landlocked low-lying areas for several days. Surface water is now piped from low-lying properties to be discharged into Waiharakeke Stream.