Now that the scaffold has come off the yet to be named community facility on the shores of the Kawarau River in Cromwell, you may notice a large pole set at an angle by what will be the main entrance.
The large pole represents Tūwhakarōria, the giant kō or digging stick of Rākaihautū who was a Kāi Tahu - Waitaha tipuna (ancestor), chief, and captain of the ancient Uruao waka who founded Te Waipounamu – the South Island.
With his kō, Rākaihautū navigated the land of Te Waipounamu by foot and dug out the inland lakes and rivers - his digging of the soil created the surrounding mountain ranges.
Through the formation of the lakes, he foretold the future of the new land: he puna waimārie (pools of abundance), he puna hauaitu (pools of freezing glacial lakes), and prophetically, he puna karikari (pools dug by the hand of man). Very apt that the new hall and events centre is situated by rivers that feed into one of these man-made waterways, Lake Dunstan, created by the damming of the Clutha/Mata-au further downstream at Clyde.
They are poetically known as Kā Puna karikari o Rākaihautū – the springs of water dug by Rākaihautū.
The kō is a cultural design feature derived from narratives provided by mana whenua and integrated into the design of the new building by mana whenua owned design team Aukaha – Mana Ahurea.
At a presentation to the Cromwell Community Board on Tuesday (25 November 2025), Paulette Tamati-Elliffe, of Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou, explained the key values behind the Cromwell cultural design integration.
“When we look inland to the beautiful landscape, the great lakes, the stunning mountain ranges, where the water flows from into those rivers, we are reminded that Central Otago is the cradle of our creation narratives. Those mountains and waters are our ancestors. Our whakapapa connects us to these places,” Ms Tamati-Elliffe said.
“In the cultural design integration of the Cromwell facility, we wanted to bring the first people of this whenua to the visual realm. They are the descendants of Te Kāhui Waitaha, the earliest people of this land and descendants of Rākaihautū and many of the names of those descendants are embedded in the landscapes in Central Otago to this day.”
Aukaha – Mana Ahurea design lead Aroha Novak said the prestigious narrative required strong design specialists. As such, Mana Ahurea contracted renowned Kāi Tahu artists Fayne Robinson and Andre Te Hira to undertake this significant project.
“For instance, the kō, Tūwhakarōria, pierces through the ceiling of the entrance way to the Events Centre and will be a beacon of light – literally. It will be illuminated at the centre as a wayfinding signal,” Ms Novak said.
“It’s a statement of mana and it has been such a privilege working with mana whenua, Central Otago District Council, Jasmax and SA Studio to embed this important narrative into the design integration of the building.”
Cromwell Community Board Chair Anna Harrison said the designs of the cultural narrative were carried throughout the building and captured all the stories that made Cromwell and Central Otago what it is today.
“This building design really is so unique to Central Otago and carries such a significant narrative. It will bring so much value to Cromwell and the wider Central Otago region. I hope the community feels really proud of this.”
Since its inception, the new facility had had a working name of Cromwell Memorial Hall and Events Centre and now needed a formal name to be confirmed, she said.
Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley said, “Our Open Spaces Naming Policy gives clear guidance for naming
in both English and Te Reo Māori. It’s about more than names—it’s about
partnership. The policy emphasises engagement with mana whenua, supports Te Reo
names, and encourages dual naming so we can honour our cultural heritage while
being practical.
"Across New Zealand, we
see great examples of this approach—Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre,
Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Toitū Otago Settlers
Museum. These show how names can reflect identity and history while serving the
community.
"We’ll start this
conversation with a workshop on 4 February ahead of the Cromwell Community
Board meeting. That will kick off consultation through March, with anticipation
an English name recommendation going to Council in April.”
To find out more about the project go to:
Cromwell Memorial Hall & Events Centre | Let’s Talk Central Otago.
https://lets-talk.codc.govt.nz/cromwell-memorial-hall
