1. Te Ātea
I have the privilege of being a storyteller for Te Ātea, on the Tapuaeharuru reserve. It is packed with Māori cultural knowledge and, as a new artwork, is already a significant community treasure.
It has a sanctity to it, featuring volcanic deities, birds, fish and fifteen river pou (posts) that collectively help orientate and connect people with our local waterways, flora, fauna and whenua.
2. Okuta Bay (a.ka. Mine Bay) Rock carvings
As well as being visually impressive, they are a memorial to Tūwharetoa tipuna (ancestors). Ngātoroirangi is 14m tall and there are over 30 smaller carvings next to him, with little bits of moss and ferns growing amidst them.
The carvings are in a beautiful interactive dance with the elements over time, where they’re slowly being worn by the wind, waves and rain.
3. Warrior Mountains’ Playground
This playful work of art at the Tongariro Domain is designed to be climbed on and swung from.
Te Papa Tākaro o Ngā Maunga Toa weaves together a beloved Ngāti Tūwharetoa story, with specific playground features representing the different mountains, including a big climbing frame up to the ‘peak’ of Tongariro. It’s a fun interactive activity that enhances cultural understanding and connectivity with this rohe (region.)
4. Mural magic
There are now 85 magnificent murals in the back alleys and side streets of Taupō.
My favourite mural is on Tūwharetoa street – with huge green & blue hued faces of rangatahi māori, either side of a whale. The artistic prowess used to create it is astonishing.
5. The Blind Woman of Taupō
Visit Taupō Museum to get close to a mysterious painting by famous New Zealand artist Charles Frederick Goldie. The subject of the painting has not been identified, though we know it was painted in 1935. She sits inside our wharenui (meeting house), alongside portraits of two notable chiefs, painted by local artist Thomas ‘Darby’ Ryan.