5 April 2024, Issue 1204
Snazzy tunnel of tales It’s the Bayfair pedestrian subway, the tunnel under the motorway, that very nearly wasn’t. It was there originally and then struck off the plans for the new interchange and flyover. Too hard, too expensive, they said. But wisdom and the
will of the people won over and the new subway is being transformed into a work of art telling passersby – and there’s plenty of them through the tunnel – the story of Matapihi and surrounds. The murals are being done by the Ahipoutu Collective – a
family owned and run business of carvers, tattooists and painters. “I’m the Uncle, the leading hand,” says Stuart McDonald, pictured. “And we’re all from Matapihi, born and raised here, so we know the land, the people and the stories.” The theme of
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the artwork is the fauna of the area – and it’s proving popular. While The Weekend Sun was in the tunnel this week, people were stopping, watching and discussing. The full story of a collective stamping its mark is on pages 4-5. Photo: John Borren.