Sculpture background

"In part its context acknowledges the history and physical geography of the area although not visible or perhaps now not known, including the Kumutoto stream which flowed from Woodward Street to the sea and the location of the historical, but now built over, Kumutoto Pa. The use of the Kina shell forms can also be interpreted as a reference to a midden, a shell mound that may have existed at one time as part of Kumutoto Pa. Middens are archaeological features that contain the debris of human activity. They are a trace to the people and material culture that at one time existed. Its significance in indigenous terms, resides in the midden’s ability to provide tangible evidence of prior occupation.

Nga Kina provides a strong and conscious link to the Mana whenua of Wellington and pays homage to both their history and their significance, and the importance of their continued presence in the city as it evolves and reshapes"

Michel Tuffery

A Journey - Nga Kina