AKO AKO
This anchor stone has been in the heart of Māngere East since 2002. In Te Ao Māori ‘Ako’ embraces both teaching and learning, when repeated it emphasises the back and forth that happens. The teacher has just as much of an opportunity to learn from the experience as the student.
This was the case between the artist Dr. Richard Shortland Cooper and his student Terry Koloamatangi Klavenes who created the Ako Ako stone sculpture.
With the fantastic passing of the Te Kāhui o Matariki Public Holiday Act 2022, locals looked for ways of celebrating the first ever dedicated public holiday that recognises Te Ao Māori.
After noticing that the angle of the hole in the stone could point to where Matariki appears in the sky … if only the stone was placed in a slightly different position.
Getting the go ahead from the artist and much else the community did what they do best on got on with it. Its new rotation means as you look up through the stone is signals where Matariki will appear.
As an Englishman, an immigrant to Aotearoa, I become more aware each day that the scars of colonialism have yet to be healed and new wounds appear. It is so generous that the theme for 2026 is “Matariki Herenga Waka – For Everyone” – a chance for all of us to gather, to learn and acknowledged the Matariki traditions that evolved so many generations ago.
Around Matariki I spend time learning and reflecting on what it means. This is the second year of me creating art to hide in my community as part of the process.
Luna, solar and astronomical events have been recorded by observers from earth for a long time. Stonehenge in the UK being an example. So it made sense to focus on the Ako Ako stone for my Matariki art this year. I used the lino block to create a second series of Ako Ako for this week’s Lucky Dip Art.
