15/09/2026
Horoirangi Ki te Hoe! 🌅
Today marked a significant milestone in a journey of nearly three years—from the inception to the unveiling this morning by Ngāti Tama whānau of a powerful expression of our cultural values embedded within the landscape through art. 👍
This journey began during the iwi engagement phases of the Glenduan Wetland Restoration Project, a community landscape initiative led by Nelson City Council to transform low-lying, flood-prone, previously grazed land at Glenduan Reserve (The Glen) into a functioning wetland. 🌱
Our cultural values hold importance across all levels of society and are deeply connected to our relationships with land, water, people, and place. The 5-metre corten steel sculpture, designed in the form of a hoe (paddle), represents the integral journeys of the past, present, and future. 👏
Designed by Maiorere Wanoa-Sundgren, the sculpture creates a meaningful connection between Ngāti Tama and this place, while also offering a sense of identity, connection, and belonging for local residents and the wider Nelson community. 🫶
It is a powerful example of how cultural values, art, landscape, and community can come together to create something enduring for generations to come. 🤝