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THE
HISTORY OF
'TE HA o AOTEAROA'
In July 1999, CREATIVISION™
New Zealand Limited commissioned Mountain Jade Company of Hokitika, to produce from Pounamu, (New Zealand Nephrite Jade) a seven eighth scale replica of the America's Cup trophy. This was a business decision based on a licensed agreement between them and TVNZ Enterprises, who licensed CREATIVISION™
New Zealand Limited to produce quality Pounamu and New Zealand crafted gifts under license, branded to the America's Cup 2000 event.
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Mountain Jade Company
(now the Jade Factory) purchased a 10,000lb Pounamu boulder which
was located at Big Bay, South Westland.
This was transported to their
business premises in Hokitika, where it was cut up and 400lb was allocated
to the carving of the replica. The
Rev Henderson, of Ngai Tahu and Kati Wae Wae, blessed the Pounamu at
Hokitika at 11am on the 13 August, 1999 and carving then began in earnest. |
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The production project plan consisted of:
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Obtaining the dimensions of the original trophy |
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Initial rough cutting of the Pounamu boulder |
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Identifying and selecting pieces for the replica |
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Rough outline cutting of the components |
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Shaping the components |
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Visiting the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron
to measure and photograph the original
America's Cup |
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Fine carving of components |
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Final carving and polishing |
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Assembly and finishing |
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Mounting the replica onto the wooden base |
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Fitting the name plates to the wooden base
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The principle carvers at Mountain Jade Company
were Ross Crump (the
then Managing Director) and Bevan Climo (a Director) and the polisher was Brant
Travis. The replica took 800
hours to carve and a further 160 hours to polish between August and
October 1999. The replica
consists of over 80 pieces which have been
pinned and glued together. A
strengthening and stabilizing rod has been fitted from the spout to the
base, where all the main pieces have been drawn together by the securing
nuts. Two separate bolts
secure the replica to its wooden base. |
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'Greenstone' is the common name given to all Nephrite Jade (whether originating in New Zealand or imported), however this replica has been carved from Pounamu, the name given to New Zealand Nephrite Jade by Maori. CREATIVISION™ New Zealand Limited in association with
The Jade Factory wish to promote within New Zealand tourism and the gift markets, the use of 'Pounamu'
as the proper name, when referring to New Zealand Nephrite Jade. |
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The wooden base was designed by
Wayne Myers of CREATIVISION™ New Zealand Limited and manufactured by Wayne Ross of
Unique Native Wood Designs Limited in Ngaruawahia.
It is from native swamp Kauri timber (Agathis Australis) recovered from the ancient buried forests near Huntly in the Waikato region.
Trophy House Limited of Lower Hutt produced the brass name plates, which together with the replica were mounted on to the base by Mountain Jade Company.
On the 12th November, 1999 the replica was complete. |
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To Maori,
Pounamu in any form (including its raw state) is a taonga (a
treasure) and in accordance with their tikanga (protocol), all
such taonga are given a name. This art piece has been named "Te Ha
o Aotearoa" (The breath of the Land of the Long White Cloud). This
is a reflection of the journey from its formation and travels as a
boulder down the valleys and the Awarua River to Big Bay, to its
discovery and relocation to Hokitika, and to its skilful
transformation into the art piece that is today the replica of the
America's Cup trophy. On its journey through New Zealand (Aotearoa),
its wairua (spirit) has been linked to that of the tangata whenua
(the people of the land) and to all who have been in contact with
it. The wairua of Tane Mahuta (the god of the forests), is also
linked to it through the Kauri timber base. It also carries the
wairua of the people of CREATIVISION™
New Zealand Limited.
"Te Ha o
Aotearoa" therefore consists of two unique and natural treasures
of New Zealand - Pounamu which is found only in the South Island
and Kauri which is found only in the North
Island.
Although "Te Ha o Aotearoa" may leave our shores, its wairua will
always be intrinsically linked back through the sea of Kiwa, back
through the route of its New Zealand journey, until it reaches the
place of its discovery and formation. There its wairua remains
bonded forever with that of the ancestral spirits of Papatuanuku
(Mother Earth), the creator of all earthly material. |
MAP OF NEW
ZEALAND
Click on the map for a
larger view. |
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Te Ha o Aotearoa has been exhibited in numerous
locations around New Zealand including the following.
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12
Nov-15 Dec 99 |
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Mountain Jade Company, Hokitika |
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16-19 Dec 99 |
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Canterbury Museum, Christchurch |
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22-24 Dec 99 |
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Logan Plaza, Upper Hutt |
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29 Dec 99 - 4 Jan 00 |
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Wellington Museum-City and Sea, Wellington |
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17 Jan 00 |
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Rangimarie Marae, Himitangi |
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18-19 Jan 00 |
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Manawatu Museum, Palmerston North |
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19 Jan 00 |
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Porongahau Marae, Hawkes Bay |
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20-21 Jan 00 |
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Napier Museum, Napier |
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21 Jan 00 |
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Visitors Information Centre, Wairoa |
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22-23 Jan 00 |
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Gisborne Museum, Gisborne |
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24 Jan 00 |
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Visitors Information Centre, Tauranga |
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25 Jan 00 |
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Visitors Information Centre, Taihape |
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26-27 Jan 00 |
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WEDCo Building, Wanganui |
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29 Jan 00 |
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Wellington Cup Day, Wellington Racing Club, Trentham |
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4-5 Feb 00 |
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NZ
International 7s Tournament WPT Stadium, Wellington |
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6 Feb 00 |
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Waitangi
Day, Orongamai Marae, Upper Hutt |
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10 Feb 00 |
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Wayne
Ross' house, Ngaruawahia |
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11Feb -14 March
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Aotearoa House, Village Pavilion, Viaduct Basin, Auckland |
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14 Mar 00 |
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AMEX Yacht Club Closing Function, Viaduct Basin, Auckland |
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28 March 00 |
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Chamber of Commerce Function, Upper Hutt |
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14-26 April 00 |
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Royal Easter Show, Auckland |
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28 Aug-28 Oct 00 |
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Te
Papa Museum Wellington |
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Jan 01 - Nov 01 |
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The Jade Factory, Hokitika |
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Nov 01 -
Feb 02 |
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The Jade
Factory, Queen Street, Auckland |
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Feb 02 -
Apr 02 |
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NZ
National Maritime Museum, Auckland |
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Oct 03 -
Dec 03 |
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Expressions Gallery, Upper Hutt |
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Dec 03 -
Jan 04 |
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Kanohi Ki
Te Kanohi, Wellington |
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Jan 04 -
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The Jade
Factory, Hokitika |
Whilst at the
Porongahau Marae in the southern Hawkes Bay region, Te Ha became the
inspirational catalyst in motivating the local marae trust members
to establish a business unit to promote their own taonga (treasure)
as a tourism venture. Their taonga is their Maunga (mountain),
"Taumata whakatangi hanga koauau o tamatea turi pukaka pikimaunga
horo nuku pokaiwhenua ki tana tahu", loosely translated this
means "The brow of the hill where Tamatea, the great traveler,
sat and made music on the flute to his beloved". With 85
letters, this is the second longest place name in the world.
In July 2001, CREATIVISION™
NZ Limited sells Te Ha o Aotearoa to two investors from
Wellington for an undisclosed amount. This closes off the journey
started back in 1999 when CREATIVISION™ NZ Limited first considered branding their
products to the AC2000 event. Although not fully attaining their
goals, they did manage to create a magnificent and unique New
Zealand art piece which has taken the directors to places they never
would have been and to have met people they would never have met.
Philosophically, they say that the profit from the venture has been
the journey, the experience and people that they had met along the
way.
It is the intent of
the new owners, to on sell the art piece and to this extent they
have commissioned Wayne Myers to broker a sale by private treaty.
They like CREATIVISION™ NZ Limited, would like to see the art piece remain in New
Zealand but accept that it may well leave these shores.
Serious enquiries may be forwarded electronically by using the
inquiry page
on this website. In the mean time, Te Ha o Aotearoa will remain on
exhibition at the Jade Factory in Hokitika and any changes to its
location will be notified on this website. |
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