Anton Forde was selcted to present a monumental work, which he developed in collaboration with artist Shiree Reihana (Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Tūteauru), consisting of 81 over-life-size figures (pou), adorned with hand-carved taonga pounamu.
The pou represented the teardrops of Ranginui for Papatuānuku (sky father and earth mother) with selected figures cloaked in contemporary hand-woven kākahu (traditional cloaks). Kākahu are treasured garments for distinguished people, elevating the mana of the individual pou as well as the collective work.
The pou are arranged in a protective/defensive ‘V’ formation to present a united front and commitment to a common purpose. One such purpose is protection: of family, but also of the future of the group in its environment. The formation helps represent the intended ethos of Kotahitanga or unity. The number 81 is significant too, as it connects to important moments of resistance in Māori, Aotearoa history: 1881 – the invasion of Parihaka, and 1981 – the year of the Springbok rugby-tour protests. These formations were used in these moments to protect the group and present a united front.
May 5, 2026
