Mural Masterpieces – Ohaeawai School

Location:
Ohaeawai School, 22 Tennyson Street, Ohaeawai.

Team:
Students at Ohaeawai School with Hannah Court and Deanna Atkinson.

Accessible to public:
Yes, during school hours.

Mural theme:
Hue back to Ohaeawai – Kaitiakitanga – a passion for preservation.

Background to mural creation:
This mural was driven by a school project of bringing the hue/gourd back to our area. It represents looking to the future with our eyes set on conservation and preservation. The eyes showing day and night with Tamanui te ra and Marama portrayed in each their sight set beyond the horizon. The kūkupa sits front and centre balanced paying homage to our school emblem but also as a tohu or sign of the health of our local environment. This manu being one of our main spreaders of seed throughout our Taiāmai area. The Hue or gourds show the effort the school has undertaken to bring this cultural taonga back to Ohaeawai in a revival effort to see hue grown and used again locally after having grown hua and distributing out seeds to the wider community. The tui gained his spot singing through the creation of this mural whereas the others were chosen by ngā Akonga to show night and day. The Akonga played a huge part in the creation of this mural suggesting colours and where they go through to painting them in as well.