Te Ahi Tupua, the sculpture built to stand at the southern gateway of Rotorua, has been successfully transported to Hemo Gorge roundabout.

Today marks the last steps of a significant journey for project partners Rotorua Lakes Council, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute | Te Puia and Kilwell Fibretube.

The installation process began at dawn, with a karakia to grant safe passage to Te Ahi Tupua as it travelled to Hemo Gorge as well as to clear the area around Kilwell Fibretube so that new mahi can take place.

The transportation from Kilwell Fibretube, using a Black Hawk helicopter from Kāhu NZ, made for an interesting display over the city as it flew over the edges of Lake Rotorua and Whakarewarewa Forest in the early hours of the morning. Both the inner and outer helix were safely and smoothly delivered to the roundabout by Kāhu NZ pilot Mark Law.

A crane was then used to lift each helix and lower it into place within the roundabout. The outer slotted into place easily within a few minutes. The inner helix took more time and careful manoeuvring to position the structure within the outer helix ready for the final works to take place.

Now that the sculpture is in place at Hemo roundabout, the team from Kilwell Fibretube will complete the final work to bolt the inner helix and connect the two helices. The connections between the outer and the inner helix will go through the same lamination process as the rest of the sculpture - work that is expected to take about two weeks, weather permitting

Rotorua Lakes Council’s Operations Group Manager Jocelyn Mikaere says today’s operation means the project nearing completion with some minor works to be finished.

“We are pleased today’s operation went as smoothly as it did. Creating and installing this remarkable taonga is something that our teams and our partners have worked really hard on.

“There has been a lot of anticipation to see Te Ahi Tupua welcoming locals and visitors as they travel into Rotorua. The concept behind the design speaks to a significant Te Arawa narrative and represents the arrival of geothermal energy to our district. The innovation in the way it was constructed also provides a perfect example of the talented people we have in Rotorua.”

The original artist, Stacy Gordine from the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute (NZMACI) will also install the final figurative elements during this time.

Kilwell Fibretube Chief Executive Craig Wilson says for his team, it is extremely satisfying to see Te Ahi Tupua in place.

“Kilwell has been a locally-owned company in Rotorua for more than 85 years. Many of our products go off-shore so for us, bringing to life the remarkable piece of art created by Stacy Gordine and the team at NZMACI and showcasing the innovation of our business was really important.

“This sculpture was designed locally by NZMACI and has also been manufactured locally. The majority of it is hand-made by our employees. We have a talented team and for most of the project, they were coming up with solutions to things that had never been done before. We are incredibly proud that we had a crew that persevered through the challenges to bring to life something pretty spectacular that can be enjoyed by the whole community.”

The work towards enhancing the southern gateway to Rotorua began in 2015 prior to the upgrades to the intersection of State Highway 5 and State Highway 30. Rotorua Lakes Council and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency agreed to enter into a partnership to commission a large-scale artwork to become the centrepiece of the new roundabout.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Director Regional Relationships Steve Mutton says it is fantastic to see Te Ahi Tupua at the centre of the SH5/SH30 Hemo Road roundabout.

“This milestone is the culmination of years of hard work by the project partners, both to upgrade the intersection and create a unique gateway into Rotorua. Te Ahi Tupua integrates Rotorua’s rich Māori heritage, identity, and values into the design and celebrates the uniqueness of the region.

“Rotorua Lakes Council and NZMACI |Te Puia had an incredible vision for the city’s southern gateway and they have overcome many challenges to achieve it. We believe Te Ahi Tupua is the first sculpture of its kind in the world and will bring a new wave of local tourism to the region.

“Waka Kotahi is proud to have been a part of this project.”

Te Ahi Tupua tells the story of the arrival of geothermal energy to the Rotorua region. The design concept was developed by NZMACI and was the successful submission in 2015 when Council and Waka Kotahi called for artists to design the roundabout’s centrepiece.

NZMACI General Manager, Eraia Kiel says the opportunity to play an instrumental role in a major Rotorua artwork, located in its own rohe, drew NZMACI to support the project, with all of its contribution provided in kind.

“Te Ahi Tupua is a truly ground-breaking piece of work, involving huge degrees of creativity from the outset - and an extremely technical process in the following stages in order to bring it to life. It challenged the boundaries of what could be done, which is what makes it particularly special.

“It’s important we continue to tell Te Arawa stories in new and innovative ways. While Te Ahi Tupua describes the origins of geothermal activity in Rotorua through the story of Te Arawa tohunga Ngātoro-i-rangi, it also tells other stories of our community – referencing concepts such as the interconnectedness of people, the pursuit of knowledge and the importance of looking after our natural environment.”

Once the remaining construction work is complete and final design pieces are in place, the project partners will look to officially mark the installation of Te Ahi Tupua.

Te Ahi Tupua funders and contributors:

· Rotorua Lakes Council

· Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

· Kilwell Fibretube

· New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute |Te Puia

· Rotorua Trust

· Rotorua Community Arts Trust

· Lion Foundation

· Infinity Foundation

· Red Stag Timber

· Rotorua Public Arts Trust

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