Sandra Coney visits the pou showing Hinerangi, 22 April 2011

Early Thursday morning (21 April), a small group gathered at Te Ahua Point, Mercer Bay, to unveil a pou marking the importance of this site to Te Kawerau a Maki. The site was inhabited over a long period and was a sanctuary and defensive position for the iwi.

Recent archaeological excavation has shown that this is one of the oldest settled parts of the Waitakere Ranges.

The pou depicts Hinerangi, a chiefly young  Ngaoho woman named after an honoured Turehu ancetress.

Hinerangi and her husband lived at Karekare, and he was lost while fishing off the rocks at Te Kawa Rimurapa at Mercer Bay. Hinerangi sat on the cliffs waiting for her husband’s return. She died of a broken heart and her face is said to be etched in the tall cliffs at the south end of Mercer Bay.

We are unusual at Piha that both this pou, and the pou on Lion Rock, depict women.

Hinerangi gazing out to sea

The pou was carved by Sunnah Thompson  and shows Hinerangi gazing out to the great turbulent Waikarekare sea.

The pou is a partnership between Te Kawerau a Maki, Friends of Arataki and the Auckland Council.

The Friends have raised the funds to install pou at a number of other locations including Karekare, Cornwallis and Karamatura.