Te Waharoa ki te Ao Mārama, The Entrance way to the World of Enlightenment, Hamilton Lake, Kirikiriroa Hamilton, 2012

Te Waharoa ki te Ao Mārama is a response to the history of the lake and its significance to tangata whenua in the past, now, and in the future. The lake was once a prime resource of food and materials. With sustained conservation, care and nurture this will continue. The kōwhaiwhai design is Hutchinson’s interpretation of the Māngo-pare (HammerHead shark) which is often referred to as a symbol of strength and perseverance. Of never giving up. The work is related to Hutchinson’s signature concertina cut-out works in black builder’s paper. Te Waharoa ki te Ao Mārama is taken from a builders paper model that is literally a twist, and bends on a closed concertina that opens down the diagonal shaft and the vertical upright. The form becomes a waharoa or gateway that acts as a threshold leading into the public recreational space. The kōwhaiwhai fronds fold up and out giving a sense of flourishing energy. 

Esteemed Ngāi Tahu kaumatua, Te Reo and tikanga expert Kukupa Tirikatene (ONZM) (1934-2018) broke ground for the project and blessed the finished work.

Commissioned by MESH Sculpture Hamilton