Kia ora e hoa,

Want to learn more about this carving? You’ve come to the right place.

Carver: Dr Ash Puriri, Master Carver, Ngaati Kahungunu, Ngaati Rongomaiwahine, Ngaati Tuuwharetoa, Ngaati Porou, Ngaapuhi

Wairere, 2024

This carving is dedicated to Wairere and the multitudes of descendants that belong to Waikato iwi.

Wairere is the eponymous ancestor of Ngaati Wairere, he was born in the 1600’s and famous for having numerous tamariki and mokopuna in the area. Wairere was a very important ancestor and Ngaati Wairere is the local iwi upon the lands that Hamilton City is built on. Wairere was named after the flowing water in reference to his baptism which consisted of the sprinkling of karamu leaves over him when he was a child, and at the conclusion of the ceremony, they plucked the water to release droplets of water upon him freeing it from the tapu of child birth.  From there onwards the old name of the river was changed from Te Awanui o Taikehu to Waikato.