Whata Kai

Creator: Jane Scott

Supported by: Creative NZ

Whata Kai is a community-created public sculpture to be installed along the Waimate Trail. The artwork draws inspiration from the traditional Māori whata kai — a wooden drying rack historically used to hang and preserve food such as tuna (eel).

The sculpture reinterprets this traditional structure through contemporary public art. A tall wooden rack will support hanging forms made from recycled tractor inner tubes, representing strips of tuna traditionally hung to dry.

Students from Waituna Creek School and Waihao Downs School will participate in creative workshops where they design and paint the hanging elements using Māori-inspired patterns and symbols. They will work with a professional artist and a representative from Te Rūnanga o Waihao, gaining hands-on experience in collaborative art-making while learning about the cultural significance of tuna (longfin eel) and traditional whata kai drying racks.

Historically, whata kai were not only used to preserve food but also served as wayfinders and visual markers in the landscape. In a similar way, this sculpture will become a distinctive landmark along the Waimate Trail, connecting visitors with local culture, environment, and community creativity.