Pou Whenua, Corten Garden Pou - Taranaki Garden Festival

Our contemporary pou whenua was born of a desire to create a home environment that upholds whakaaro Māori. A space that connects us in relationship with the whenua (land) on which we reside in every day.
This is not a stake of ownership or mana whenua, but of stewardship and connection and belonging in our Kāinga (homes). 

As part of our tuakana, teina sibling collaboration, these pou were a natural extension of our love of our respective mara (gardens), of building our sense of home.
A safe haven.

A Pou Whenua is often a carved post or upright marker used by Māori with both practical and symbolic purposes.
Pou literally means post or pillar, and whenua means land. So pou whenua are “land posts.” Customarily, they were erected to mark territorial boundaries, significant places, or areas of special importance such as burial grounds, battle sites, or cultivation areas.

Pou whenua are not just markers however, they embody whakapapa (genealogy), mana (authority), and the relationship between people and the land. 

In a contemporay context, pou whenua are also installed in public spaces, marae, and city centers to acknowledge mana whenua (local iwi), commemorate events, or tell the story of the place. They act as both guardians and storytellers of the land.

These pou are available in two heights (and potentially custom sizes by enquiry)

Iti: 120cm (including ground spikes - so approximately 1m tall when secured into the ground)

Nui: 150cm (including ground spikes - so approximately 1.3m tall when secured into the ground)

These pou are made from Corten Steel. Corten develops a 'protective' weathering layer that looks like rust when left out in the weather. It requires no maintenance.

To Install:
Depending on your environment, soil type and garden, these pou can either just be thrust into the whenua using their sharp base prongs, or can be concreted with quick crete. We'll make a video and provide detailed written instructions in the coming weeks.