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Distance and travel to Akerama precluded the installation of the pou. Haki Parata, kaumatua was then
approached about exhibiting on Te Maruata. We walked over the whenua and decided where to put
the installation. Kaumatua, Haki Parata offered a karakia for the commencement of the project,
followed by discussions and a kai. A written project proposal 36 for the pouwhenua installation was
delivered to all whanau living on Te Maruata No 2 land block and whanau living in Australia were
informed through Facebook. The Minarapa Parata whanau fully support this project and any other
activities planned on Te Maruata No 2 block. Maruata is gazetted a Marae with appointed trustees 37 .
North Power delivered twenty seven power poles of varying size, weight and height on site. From the
onset this project had problems of available manpower and equipment to lift, to cut and to install the
heavy hardwood.
Work Begins
The first gathering on Te Maruata met to sort through the delivered power poles, cut and stack ready to
be painted and erected. Advice for paint was sought from the salesperson at Bunning‟s after the wood
had been described to him. One 10 litre Redwood Fence Finisher, a 10 litre Pigment Sealer and 25kg
of Cemix Multicrete were purchased. Poor weather conditions hindered progress. The poles were
painted with a white sealer and red timber stain. Both colours were washed off by the rain leaving
pink tinged poles. In retrospect it would have been an advantage to have tested on a small piece of
wood before applying the paints to all the poles.
The shade of red paint used for the pou is similar to other commercial red paints used on the external
facades of marae, native schools and carved pou within Ngapuhi currently. According to Neich (1994)
by the 1890‟s the painting of all carvings red was being advocated by Augustus Hamilton, author and
37 NZ Gazette: Maruata Marae, 14 TNTOK 907, WH87/282
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