This article was first published by RNZ
Police are investigating the destruction of a carving gifted by mana whenua and displayed at Pukekohe Train Station.
In a Facebook post, the Franklin Local Board said the vandalism was “upsetting and disrespectful”.
“We are saddened at this vandalism at Pukekohe Station and gutted that a beautiful carving by Ngāti Tamaoho kaumatua Ted Ngataki, who has only ever shown us kindness and a willingness to share his wisdom, should suffer in this way.
“We are deeply sorry this happened,” the post read.
In a statement to RNZ, police said a report was first made on 27 October when it was noticed the carving had been smashed off its foundations.
Police said it appeared the carving had also suffered damage in late September.
Speaking to RNZ, Franklin Local Board member Logan Soole said he first received a report from a concerned constituent in September describing what looked to be damage to the carving’s feet and its taiaha.
He then received another message over the weekend on Facebook saying the pou had been destroyed.
“They just said ‘we’ve just come across this smashed carving. Would you like us to take it home to look after it until someone can collect it?’
“I thought that was amazing. Just our community straight away noticing it.”
Soole drove to the station himself to pick the carving up and store it at the local board office.
“Our community was just so vigilant and has been quite devastated by it. I’ve taken those two messages and I’ve reported it to Auckland Transport through our elected member line, I’ve also lodged a police report as well.”
He said CCTV footage captured at the station was being investigated.
“It’s the second time within a month, so it’s just really sad to see [because] it’s such a beautiful carving. It’s such an important and key part of our station and our community.”
Soole said Ngāti Tamaoho had a good relationship with the local community.
“Whenever we have adversity or anything happens in the community, they are always the first to stand up. We saw it in the floods, we saw it during Covid-19.
“This was their gift to us as a community so, it’s sad to see that some individuals, or an individual, has gone about and vandalised it.
“Everyone is saddened and everyone is pretty disgusted at this. I’m super proud of the community who reported it in the first instance who were so keen to see it fixed and solved.”
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By Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira of RNZ
