Mauao to close during repair of vandalised pounamu

The pounamu touchstone on top of Mauao's cultural compass was vandalised on Friday. Photo / Tauranga City Council

Tauranga’s popular maunga Mauao will be closed on Tuesday while vandalism damage to the cultural compass is repaired.

The large pounamu touchstone on top of the kāpehu (cultural compass) at the summit of Mauao was found vandalised on Friday.

Celestial navigator Jack Thatcher said the damage had been done with a sharp instrument and it left deep scars in the stone.

All of the walking tracks on Mauao will be closed on Tuesday from 8.30am to allow the repairs to be done safely and efficiently, the Tauranga City Council said in a statement.

The repairs would involve smoothing and polishing the pounamu surface to restore it as closely as possible to its original condition.

Restoration work began on Friday afternoon with cleaning of the compass and temporary repairs to the damage caused by the vandalism, including the attempt to dig around the outer ring of the compass.


Mayor Mahé Drysdale said vandalism of the touchstone was a "despicable act". Photo / Alex Cairns

On Friday, Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said he was deeply disappointed by the vandalism of the precious touchstone.

“This is a despicable and disrespectful act which should not and will not be tolerated.”

Ngāi Te Rangi chief executive Paora Stanley told Local Democracy Reporting the vandalism was, in his opinion, the “usual gutless racism by illiterate and inarticulate reprobates”.

“It’s something we sadly come to expect.

“Those rocks are really sacred, and they think they can destroy it. It will never be destroyed.”

The kāpehu was unveiled in June 2022 to mark Matariki, the Māori New Year, by the Ngā Poutiriao o Mauao Trust, in collaboration with Te Puna I Rangiriri Trust.

 The pounamu touchstone at Mauao's summit when it was unveiled in 2022. Photo / Tauranga City Council
The pounamu touchstone at Mauao's summit when it was unveiled in 2022. Photo / Tauranga City Council

Mauao, meaning caught by the dawn, is the sacred tūpuna maunga (ancestral mountain) of the three iwi of Tauranga Moana – Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Pūkenga and Ngāti Ranginui and Te Arawa iwi, Waitaha.

This isn’t the first time cultural items on the maunga have been vandalised.

A sign was defaced with stickers in May and te reo Māori place names on other signs were scratched out in August 2022.

The signs were installed in 2022 as part of a collaborative Mauao Placemaking project between the Tauranga City Council and Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao (the administration board), designed to share the rich history and stories of Mauao.

Drysdale said the vandalism was reported to the police and the council encouraged anyone with information to come forward.

A police spokesperson said inquiries were ongoing and no arrests had been made.

Anyone with information could call 105 or report online at 105.police.govt.nz. Using the file number 241213/4295.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

4 comments

Why close Mauao

Posted on 17-12-2024 11:02 | By Suemac

I understand the need to fix it up, but to close all of the tracks is just way over the top. If they must, just close off the summit for the time it takes, leave the rest of the mountain open.


Totally agree Suemac

Posted on 17-12-2024 20:16 | By Bruja

This absolute autocratic bs has to end! Part of the agreement is that the mountain is open for full public access in perpetuity. There was NO REASON to close it. People are going to start leaving this town in droves and no wonder why!


@ Suemac

Posted on 17-12-2024 20:44 | By Yadick

Absolutely agree. Why close off the entire Mount to place a stone. That's just pathetic. Did they close the entire Mount or any of the Mount to remove the beautifully placed memorial seats . . . NO. How is a stone more important ?
This is absolutely ridiculous, unnecessary and pathetic. I truly hope there's no cruise ships in. They'll all need to go and walk the filthy streets of Tauranga or Te Puke for their thousands of dollars.


Sadly..........

Posted on 19-12-2024 20:11 | By groutby

........this is not only strange but a bit suspicious...ALL of the tracks closed at 8.30 for how long?....we don't know....by who?....we don't know.....why?....we don't know....
Ok, who is actually calling the shots here?....please do tell..........do we want tourists and locals to enjoy the Mount?...all a bit strange.....


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