Artist: Reg Thompsett
Location: Ōpaoa Bridge, SH1 north of Blenheim
Year: 2020
Type: Wooden carving
Details: Standing at the northern entrance to Wairau, this striking seven-metre pouwhenua was carved by master carver Reg Thompsett and commissioned by the mana whenua of Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Rārua and Rangitāne o Wairau. The pou represents the iwi’s connection to the Wairau and honours the ancestors, stories and traditions of the region. Created as part of the Ōpaoa River bridge project, it provides a powerful cultural marker at a place that has been an important travel and trading route for centuries.
