More Info →Te Marae o Hine, The Square

These carvings, created by John Bevan Ford and Warren Warbrick were constructed in 1990 to honour the significance of the Māori name for The Square, Te Marae o Hine, The Courtyard of the Daughter of Peace. John Bevan Ford, a member of Ngāti Raukawa and a well known artist of Palmerston North was commissioned to undertake the work by the Rangitāne Maori Committee and the Palmerston North City Council. The paved courtyard provided a venue for civic gatherings where Māori protocol could be used and the set of nine wooden carvings defined the boundaries of the courtyard. The two large posts shown here contain carvings which face in two directions. The outward carvings welcome visitors to the city by Rangitāne, while the inward carvings depict Te Rongorito and her mother Hineaupounamu, bring their gifts of peace to the civic gathering place which they overlook. The group of three carved posts, shown in this picture symbolise a hope for peace and prosperity. The Square has since been redesigned but the carving and their significance remain.