Awarua Rūnanga would like to acknowledge the craftsmanship of Bubba Thompson, who undertook a commission from the Fiordland Marine Guardians Group.
This commission was first mooted about three years ago when Stewart Bull, the group’s iwi rep, approached Bubba with the idea of carving marine markers and erecting them along the coastline of Fiordland to mark protected marine reserves. The original concept was to carve round posts but this developed into the triangular marine markers as displayed in the photos below. Bubba wishes to acknowledge master carver Cliff Whiting, whose influence and style has been incorporated into the poupou. In time, pamphlets will be available to people travelling through this area, giving information on the Māori names of each poupou and which tūpuna they represent.
The poupou were handed over to the whānau of Ōraka Aparima Rūnanga at Takutai o Te Tītī Marae on 25 January.
This was followed by an unveiling at Charles Sound in Fiordland on the 11 February, attended by representatives from Ngāi Tahu, the Fiordland Marine Guardians, the Department of Conservation and the Ministry for Primary Industries. The fourteen poupou are shown below, outside Takutai o Te Tītī Marae at Colac Bay with, from left to right, Winsome Skerrett, Michael Skerrett, Rangimaria Suddaby, Dave Taylor, Phil Fluerty, Stewart Bull, Bubba Thompson, Shona Fordyce, Reece Thompson, Joan Fluerty, Betty Rickus, Steph Blair and Gail Thompson. (Photographed by Ron Bull).
Whānau pictured with the fourteen poupou outside Takutai o Te Tītī Marae at Colac Bay. Photograph by Ron Bull.
Ron Bull and Bubba Thompson installing one of the poupou.
‘Kahukura’ The first poupou unveiled rises majestically with a background of forest and mist in the Fiordland National Park.