Original image by Sean Neakums
4. Te Aho a Māui
Artist | Rewi Thompson |
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Year | |
Location | Located between the city and the waterfront, at the entrance to Civic Square from the City to Sea Bridge |
Tour directions | Follow the bridge towards Civic Square (away from the waterfront). This sculpture is the 'split pyramid' that you can walk through before you go down the stairs to Civic Square. |
Here Comes the Sun
Before fishing up the North Island, Maui used his grandmother's jaw bone to snare the sun and beat it until it agreed to move more slowly, giving the people enough time to get their daily work done.
Sculpture background
Te Aho a Māui means the fishing line of Māui. Māui is a hero from Māori mythology. Te Aho a Māui refers to the Māori creation myth, where Māui, using the jawbone of his ancestor Muri-ranga-whenua as a fish hook, hauled up a great fish from the ocean, which became the North Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand. The North Island is also known as Te-Ika-a-Māui, meaning the fish of Māui.
Te Aho a Māui is a pyramid, representing a mountain, split in two. The paved walkway between the two sides of the pyramid represents Māui's fishing line, unravelling from the mountain to the sea.
Te Aho a Māui was one of the five pieces of art in place when Civic Square opened in 1991. Its companion, the City and Sea Bridge arrived in 1993.
Do you own this website? |
- City to Sea Bridge Para Matchitt, John Gray, Rewi Thompson 1992 -41.28871249 174.7785641 /__data/assets/image/0019/1765/thumb-city-to-sea-bridge.jpg City to Sea Bridge /tours/civic-square/city-to-sea-bridge
- The Rugby World Cup Celebration Weta Workshop 2011 -41.288575 174.778189 /__data/assets/image/0003/1659/thumb-the-rugby-world-cup-celebration.jpg The Rugby World Cup Celebration /tours/civic-square/the-rugby-world-cup-celebration-sculpture
- The Pool Charlotte Fisher 1994 -41.2889891 174.7782308 /__data/assets/image/0020/1658/thumb-the-pool.jpg The Pool /tours/civic-square/the-pool
- Te Aho a Māui Rewi Thompson 1991 -41.288906 174.778100 /__data/assets/image/0004/1768/thumb-te-aho-a-maui.jpg Te Aho a Māui /tours/civic-square/te-aho-a-mui
- Nikau Ian Athfield 1991 -41.28898896 174.777868 /__data/assets/image/0005/1769/thumb-nikau-palms.jpg Nikau palms /tours/civic-square/nikau-palms
- Anchor Stone Ra Vincent 2004 -41.28912996 174.7776281 /__data/assets/image/0014/1652/thumb-anchor-stone.jpg Anchor Stone /tours/civic-square/anchor-stone
- Pig Alan Hobbs 1995 -41.28903118 174.7775287 /__data/assets/image/0016/1654/thumb-pig.jpg Pig /tours/civic-square/the-pig
- Prow and Capital Matt Pine 1991 -41.28877964 174.777552 /__data/assets/image/0017/1655/thumb-prow-and-capital.jpg Prow and Capital /tours/civic-square/prow-and-capital
- Ferns Neil Dawson 1998 -41.2887753 174.77721 /__data/assets/image/0020/1766/thumb-fern.jpg Fern /tours/civic-square/ferns
- Fault Ralph Hotere and Bill Culberth 1994 -41.28856 174.77724 /__data/assets/image/0014/1904/thumb-fault.jpg Fault /tours/civic-square/fault
- Seven Steps to Heaven Mary-Louise Brown 2000 -41.28885063 174.7767735 /__data/assets/image/0018/1656/thumb-seven-steps-to-heaven..jpg Seven Steps To Heven /tours/civic-square/seven-steps-to-heaven
- Silent People Chris Booth 1991 -41.28860247 174.7766809 /__data/assets/image/0019/1657/thumb-silent-people.jpg Silent People /tours/civic-square/silent-people
- Grand Head Terry Stringer 1986 -41.28908086 174.775988 /__data/assets/image/0015/1653/thumb-grand-head.jpg Grand Head /tours/civic-square/grand-head