8 June 2026

Hugh Tareha’s final pou return to Te Whanganui-a-Orotū

Six newly restored pou celebrating the estuary’s traditional abundance are now standing near Westshore. They are among the last works of a much-loved Ahuriri master carver.

If you’ve been out along Meeanee Quay or taken a wander around Pandora Pond, you may have noticed striking new pou (carved posts) looking out over the estuary. They are among the final works of master carver Hugh Tareha, and they tell a story that reaches back more than 600 years.

A story of abundance

Te Whanganui-a-Orotū (Ahuriri Estuary) was traditionally known as the food basket of the region. The six pou are based on Te Pepeha o Tamatea Pokaiwhenua, a traditional mōteatea (chant) composed by Tamatea Pokaiwhenua and Kahungunu. It celebrates the many foods that flourished in and around the estuary in the 1400s. Each pou represents one of those foods:

karoro (seagull)
pātiki (flounder)
pāua
pūpū (cat’s eye)
kiore (Pacific rat)
aruhe (fern root)

The pou replace earlier carvings by Hugh that had stood around the estuary for more than 20 years. They were installed in partnership with the Department of Conservation, until the harsh estuary conditions took their toll. Before he died, Hugh had been working with kaumātua of Ngāti Pārau hapū and DOC to create these six replacements.

Remembering Hugh

Hugh (Ngāti Pārau) was a descendant of Tareha Te Moananui, a paramount chief of Ahuriri. He began carving in the 1980s and was based for many years at the Waiohiki Creative Arts Village. His work can be seen across Hawke’s Bay, including at West Quay, EIT Ōtātara, Waiohiki and Pukemokimoki marae, and the Napier Port kororā sanctuary. He died suddenly in May 2022, aged 63. His brother-in-law Denis O’Reilly described him as having “the calloused hands of a carver, and diamonds on the soles of his shoes.”

Local master carver Nathan Foote has carefully restored the pou so they can now take their place by the water. Fittingly for a man who loved giving materials a second life, they are carved from timber that first came to Hawke’s Bay as machinery support beams. PanPac later gifted that timber to Hugh.

Why it matters for Westshore

Much of the land our homes sit on was once part of this great harbour, which sustained Ahuriri hapū for generations before the 1931 earthquake lifted it from the water. These pou are a beautiful reminder of what this place has always been.

Next time you’re out walking, stop and take a closer look, and please treat them with care.

Read the full story from Mana Ahuriri: manaahuriri.org/2026/04/07/master-carvers-final-works-to-find-their-home/