The small Northland community of Ahipara is celebrating a win in this year’s NZ Timber Awards.
BJ Natanahira (Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri) won the People’s Choice category for his cultural gateway, Tomo Mai Ki Ahipara.
Marae and hapū in Ahipara chose the sculptural artist to showcase their stories in a gateway for the community, which sits at the base of 90 Mile Beach.
Natanahira received a provincial funding grant as part of a project to establish cultural gateways in the Far North.
The native timber, stone and stainless-steel structure represents two upright waka.
A stylised figure within one waka represents a local ancestor, Patito of Te Rarawa.
The second waka contains a tokotoko and a bench made of natural stone, symbolising the narratives of the area’s history.
Natanahira also wanted the gateway to remind those entering the area to respect and acknowledge the history of ‘Ahiparapara’, the traditional name of the community.
NZ Timber Award judges felt the work of all 61 finalists this year demonstrated ‘innovation, dedication and creativity’ and were ‘beautiful examples of what can be done with one of our greatest national treasures, namely timber.’
The supreme award went to Green School NZ in Ōakura, Taranaki for its building project, ‘Kina’.
