About Us

The City of Palmerston North stands at the centre of the Manawatū, a region named after the powerful Manawatū River. The river and many other waterways and geographical features within the lower North Island take their names from the pūrākau (story) of Haunui-a-Nanaia, a story of the people of Whanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu and Wairarapa. The story is said to have been composed by chief Te Rangitakoru as an oriori (“lullaby”) for his daughter. The lullaby is well known and was sung as a means of passing onto tamariki (“children”) information about the area in which they lived and the names of the major geographical features.

There are many versions of the Legend of Haunui, however the general story remains the same.

After consultation with Rangitāne kaumatua the pūrākau of Haunui-a-Nanaia has been adopted by Palmerston North Airport as a means of defining our sense of place, an airport at the cross roads of a region which extends from Ruapehu in the north, through Whanganui, Rangitikei, the Manawatu, to Horowhenua in the South and across to Wairarapa and then north to Tararua and Southern Hawkes Bay.  Rivers and waterways served as major transport routes for local Maori historically, and today the airport has assumed a similar role, facilitating transport for modern waka in the form of aeroplanes. The adoption of the pūrākau is also the airports way of recognising tangata whenua from the wide region we proudly serve.

Haunui’s father was Chief Popoto, the grandson of the famous explorer Kupe. Popoto was among the early arrivals to Aotearoa travelling on the Kurahaupo waka along with the great chief Whatonga and other chiefs.  Chief Popoto settled in Mahia and married Nanaia, they had many children, including Haunui, who in his adult life became a Tohunga or high priest, Haunui later married Wairaka.

Upon his return from a trip to Hawaiki Haunui discovered that Wairaka had been abducted by a man named Weku.  Haunui set out on a journey south to find Wairaka. He crossed a wide expansive river mouth and named it Whanganui (“Whanga – harbour, Nui – large”).  Haunui soon afterwards came across another river, so close to Whanganui that he could almost splash water from one river to the other, he named this river Whangaehu (“Whanga – harbour, ehu – to bail or splash”).

He faced a dilemma at the next river, for it had steep sides making it difficult to cross. Haunui felled a dead tree and placed it across the river to form a bridge over which he climbed.  He named this river Turakina (“to throw down”).

After resting overnight Haunui continued his journey south, however he made slow progress because of the rough terrain. He was very tired after a long day of walking when he came across the next river and so he rested. He named this river Rangitikei (“Rangi – day, tikei – walking or plodding”).

The next river was immense in width and depth and caused Haunui to lose his breath as he considered how to cross it, he named this river Manawatū (“Manawa – breath, tū – to stop or halt”). Further south Haunui heard a sound like that of a Hokio, a now extinct nocturnal bird. He named this place Hokio after the bird. After resting here overnight Haunui rose before daybreak and continued his journey south coming across a river he named Ao Ohau (“The daybreak of Hau”).

Haunui waded across the next river using his pou (walking stick) for balance, he named this river Aotaki (“Ao – day, taki – to cross with the assistance of a walking stick”). It was another long day with still no sign of the Wairaka and Weku, Haunui stopped on the banks of a little stream to say a Karakia, he named this place Waimeha (“to be weary or tired”).

Haunui continued along the shore and as he approached another river he came across footprints in the wet sand, he knew that Wairaka, and her abductor Weku must be close. Haunui crossed the river cautiously looking from side to side as he slowly crossed the river. Haunui named this river Waikanae (“Wai – water, Kanae – to stare wildly”).

Haunui’s perseverance was rewarded when he came across Wairaka and Weku in a cave at Paekakariki (“the assembly place of the green parrot”). Weku was swiftly dispatched. Haunui, using his powers as a Tohunga turned Wairaka into stone as she waded into the sea. Wairaka remains there today, a rock known as Wairaka rock located at the southern end of Pukerua Bay.

After taking revenge Haunui chose to return to his village via the eastern side of the North Island. Ahead of Haunui was a large mountain, he climbed the mountain and sat on the top to rest and named this Remutaka (“to sit down”). While resting Haunui caught sight of the sun reflecting spectacularly off the waters of a large lake located in a valley to the east, this caused his eyes to water.  Haunui named the lake Wairarapa (“glistening waters”).

Looking further north through the valley Haunui sighted a high mountain standing tall and alone above the native forest. Haunui used the mountain as a guide in his trek northwards and named it Rangitumau (“standing up to the sky”). Haunui made his way down to the floor of the valley and still travelling north he came across a stream and a whare, the walls and roof of which were thatched with nikau palms. Haunui named this river Tauwharenikau (“the house made of nikau”).

At the next river crossing Haunui rested, as he looked into the waters he imagined he could see Wairaka’s face, which made him sad. Haunui named this river Wai o Hine Wairaka (“tears for Wairaka”). After travelling further north over the Taratahi plain Haunui came to a wider river, with many different courses and bends, which he called Waiawangawanga (“troubled or uncertain water”), today this river is known as Waingawa.

At the next river he tested the water depth with his pou and gave it the name Waipoua (“Wai – water, pou – walking stick”). The final river named by Haunui on his trek was Ruamahanga (“twin forks”) referring to the many tributaries that join the river or to a bird snare that Haunui found placed in the fork of a tree on the river bank.

The murals and carvings proudly displayed within the arrivals and departure areas of the Palmerston North Airport terminal have been created by artists of Rangitāne descent. Each provides a unique visual reference to the Legend of Haunui-a-Nanaia, ancestors with significance to all regional iwi, and to the rivers, mountains, forest flora and bird life of our wider region. Reference is also made to the role of the airport as a gathering place and facilitator of the flow of our people, both locals and visitors alike.

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NGĀ PARE HAU O TE WA

Tohunga Whakairo Warren Warbrick (Te Awe Awe)
Rangitāne (Ngāti Hineaute, Ngāti Te Rangitepaia)
Ngati Kauwhata
Te Arawa (Te Rangitihi, Ngāti Whakaue, Tūhourangi)

Male and female huia mated for life, with one not being able to survive without the other. In the same way, when Wairaka departed Haunui-a-Nanaia, there was a vital imperative for him to pursue her. In his pursuit, Haunui-a-Nanaia went about the naming of places throughout our rohe.
‘Ngā Pare Hau o te Wa’ references Haunui-a-Nanaia & Wairaka as huia, through the beak form in the manaia heads. The point at which their heads meet speaks of Te Āpiti (the Manawatū Gorge), and the serpentine movement in the work references the Manawatū river and the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges, the place where our huia were last seen, before extinction. The overall form references a peka peka, an old pounamu pendant, where one half reflects the other.

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E TAU NEI

Tohunga Whakairo: Craig Kawana
Rangitāne
Ngati Apa
Muaupoko
Ngai Tahu

The Pare Whakairo (carved door lintel) named E Tau Nei (“To arrive”) proudly rests above the arrivals door and provides a blessing to passengers arriving at our airport and to our region. Carved from Kauri E Tau Nei features the famous explorer Kupe great grandfather of Haunui, Whatonga the captain of the waka Kurahaupo, a great ocean-going waka on which Rangitāne and other iwi traveled to Aotearoa. Haunui is featured at the left-hand side of Kupe and is depicted grasping his tongue, this is a reference to the fact that the first river named by Haunui was the Whanganui river, and reflects the local carving style. Manaia stand guard at each end of the pare protecting visitors to our airport and region. Mata Kupenga (fish nets) are depicted at the right of Whatonga and represent the fact that the airport is a gathering place for all people. A mountain range appears along the bottom of the pare and reflects Haunui’s journey south in search of his wife Wairaka.

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NGĀ WAI O HAUNUI-A-NANAIA

Kereama Taepa
Te Arawa
Te Atiawa
MMVA, Toioho ki Apiti, Massey University

The Kowhaiwhai within the wind lobby is a visual representation of the rivers as named by Haunui-a-Nanaia within a Waiata Oriori of Rangitāne. Water ways are an important ecosystem in the area that grants safe passage for travelers, like those travelling through the Palmerston North Airport. Water makes its journey from the clouds, to the ranges and out to sea providing sustenance to everything living within the space between. Like birds, water acts as a mediate between two spaces – connecting the sky and the land.

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NGA TAPUWAE O HAUNUI-A-NANAIA

Reweti Arapere
Rohe: Te Reureu, Rangitikei
Iwi: Raukawa, Tuwharetoa, Porourangi
MMVA, Toioho ki Apiti, Massey University

The heartbeat of this panorama links the cosmological journey of Haunui-a-Nanaia to the land. The artwork is about the naming of significant landmarks and travels of Haunui in pursuit of his Hoa Rangatira (love) Wairaka. Points in Hau’s journey have been selected as landmarks within the panorama. From the left: Whanganui, Rangitikei, Manawatu, and Wairarapa. Personified by Tiki (the human form) these ancestral figures cover the Palmerston North Airports main catchment areas. The journey of Hau acknowledges the Mana Whenua that reside as caretakers along their banks, valleys and rivers. Modern iconography has been incorporated into the designs like sneakers, pilot hats and aircraft to symbolise leaping into the future with an appreciation for the past.