Tūmatauenga

This pou guards Entry D of Eden Park.

From the interpretive plaque:

Tūmatauenga, Māori God of war, stands above wielding a taiaha – a traditional combat staff employed in times of conflict. As a dedication to this deity of contest, any arena where battle ensues is bestowed the name Te Marae Ātea a Tūmatauenga – the battle domain of Tūmatauenga.

In today’s context, Eden Park is such a place. A domain of battle where contemporary gladiators clash under the banner of sport with an intensity and ferocity reminiscent of that of the ancestors.

Carved by Boydie Te Nahu, October 2010.

Tūmatauenga