Representatives from Horizons Regional Council, Massey University, the New Zealand Defence Force, the Palmerston North City Council and Rangitane were present.

The redevelopment of the grove was necessary after original carved pou had deteriorated after nearly three decades since the grove was opened in April 1988.

A community committee was formed to revitalise the grove. The original pou, carved by John Bevan Ford of Ngati Raukawa and Warren Warbrick of Rangitane, were buried at a ceremony on 20 June this year.

Three new pou were designed and carved by Craig Kawana of Rangitane in memory of Mr Ford, who died in 2005. The carvings are arranged in the style of a pataka (food store), while part of the design detail represents the pahiatua (resting place of gods) used to secure rich harvests.

It forms part of Massey University’s botanic garden that will link the city, the University and the hills beyond via a shared pedestrian path.

The area is on the site of a battle fought against invaders by Rangitane in 1820. Karaka trees had provided food and shelter for many generations of Rangitane people who settled in this area, and provides a physical and spiritual link with the human history of the land on which it stands. Six karaka trees were kept when land was cleared to honour its history. The grove was maintained and flourished when the land was purchased for the Massey Agricultural College in 1926.

In 1972, it was fenced off and, in 1981 a garden under the trees was started by the Massey University Department of Horticultural Science. The grove was in the Rangitane traditional style of guardian stockade posts last used at the Puketotara P� in the 1800s.

New additions

One new addition is a sculpture carved by Bachelor of Maori Visual Arts student Clayton Tansley, sitting near the entrance to the grove – an acknowledgement of the surrounding regions, Ruahine, Apiti, Tararua and Manawatu.

The steel entranceway to the grove was made by Israel Birch, a lecturer at Massey’s School of Maori Art, Knowledge and Education, Putahi-a-Toi.

To coincide with the revitalisation of the grove, the associated grassed area includes pa harakeke (New Zealand flaxes) with specimen harakeke plants from local and national collections, complimented by other native plantings. 

Source: Massey University

Photo: Craig Kawana stands in front of one of three newly carved pou