Pouākai

Artwork

CreatorCowie, PiriNamePouākaiDate Made2023Medium DescriptionCorten and stainless steelObject NumberLU314Dimensions5200 x 4000 x 250 mmFurther informationCreated by senior Kāi Tahu artist Piri Cowie and commissioned as part of the Waimarie construction project, Pouākai is a pou whenua, a marker on the landscape. The pouākai was a gigantic bird of prey, now commonly accepted to be the extinct Haast’s Eagle, the largest known eagle.

Oral traditions and rock art drawings tell of the arrival of Pourangahua, carried to Aotearoa by a giant bird known as Te Manu Nui a Tāne. With him, Pou brought kūmara, depicted here on Pouākai’s outstretched wings. The establishment of kūmara allowed people to not only survive, but thrive, build a life, and establishing ahikā (the fires of occupation). The crescent form echoes an early totara carving found near Temuka as well as the rock drawings of Te Waipounamu, both thought to depict pouākai.

Pouākai is a testament to the tenacious nature of ancestral tangata whenua in their ability to explore, navigate and innovate. It is a recognition that early traditions can and do set a template for future generations.
Artwork CopyrightAll Rights ReservedArt CollectionLincoln University Art CollectionKeywordsMāoriBirds | manuSouth Island Te Waipounamu

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Pouākai

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