Te Puna Wairua o Kawerau was carved by James Te Kuiti Stewart of the Mataatua and Horouta waka and Thomas Hansen, Tauranga.
Te Puna Wai o Kawerau is the name given to this art piece created from Oamaru sandstone. Its design depicts various concepts of the story of Kawerau, and the inter-connection and progressive development of the peoples of the town, area and environment.
In local history, the circumstances that surrounded the birth of the Tipuna ‘Kawerau,’ are well-known and documented. His mother gave birth to him while she was harvesting kiekie. She then made a whariki (woven mat) out of kiekie wrapped him in it and presented him to the Iwi that were residing there.
From this event the newborn was then named ‘Kawerau’ (‘kawe’- convey, carry, influence, messages; ‘rau’- leaf, hundred points, to multiply, to catch in lattice)
This carved bowl is a monument, not only to the narrative of the Tipuna Kawerau, but also to the productiveness of the future of the people of Kawerau.
Carving completed on 20th June 2008
The cache container has been replaced --- there is now a bison tube awaiting visitors. Please do NOT try to remove it and damage its host, but unscrew it in situ. There is NO pen so bring your own!! Happy caching 