Pou moved

April 2022

A “beautiful, emotional” ceremony this month saw the two pou that have been the guardians of the Flaxmere community gardens moved across the road to Te Aranga Marae.

The pou, by master carver Thompson Hokianga, have stood in the gardens for 12 years, said Te Aranga Marae trustee Shelly Pritchard. “It was very emotional as we felt the wairua of Pam O’Keefe – it was her baby; a way to bring the community together to share the looking after of the gardens and the kai that came from them.”

Rongo-ma-tane and Hine-pu-te-heu are now standing tall in the grounds of Te Aranga, following a blessing by Thompson. Unison, which donated the manpower and machinery to install the pou 12 years ago, were on hand to move them to their new home on April 8.

Henare O’Keefe was at the ceremony, representing his late wife, Pam. “Pam loved this place. It has brought thousands of our people together and fed them. It was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with no charge. All my darling Pam asked for in return was for those who reaped the benefit to lend a helping hand now and then.”

The pou have been moved as the owners who had kindly allowed the gardens on the land now have plans to develop it for housing.