Pounamu Pathway: Te Ara Pounamu
Wētā Workshop has partnered with Poutini Ngāi Tahu to create the Pounamu Pathway, a ground-breaking tourism initiative on New Zealand’s West Coast, celebrating the region’s cultural, historical and natural heritage.
This multi-hub visitor experience will roll out over the next two years, through several interconnected experience centres including Māwhera (Greymouth) and Kawatiri (Westport), serving as gateways to captivating visitor experiences and attracting domestic and international tourists to the region.
The Pounamu Pathway is an immersive storytelling experience that weaves a rich tapestry of local heritage pūrākau (stories) from the West Coast. At Kawatiri, visitors can hear the first-hand stories of real citizens giving accounts of how the past contributes to their lives today, and sharing emotional, highly personal stories about their pride and their whakapapa (genealogy).
“Being a New Zealander, it’s immensely fulfilling to work alongside our tangata whenua Poutini Ngāi Tahu on a project that celebrates the cultural histories and the natural beauty of the West Coast.” — Jason Aldous, Wētā Workshop Creative Development Producer
The most ambitious of the centres, Māwhera, features a giant sculpture of Tūhuru, a breathtaking hyper-realistic representation of the region’s renowned warrior chief standing at a scale of 2.4:1. The sculpture is adorned with woven accessories including a kākahu (cloak), maro (cloth) and tātua (belt), which were crafted by dedicated weavers who spent more than 1700 hours creating them.
Inspired by traditions of oral storytelling, the Battles Whare within Māwhera features an immersive 360-degree audio experience that will transport visitors to the battlefields of Te Tai o Poutini (the West Coast). The journey shows how Ngāi Tahu became the victorious guardians of Te Tai o Poutini and of a precious resource — pounamu (greenstone).
The experience is complemented by a panoramic illustration depicting the key moments and the intensity of the battles between two tribes — the long-standing guardians of Te Tai Poutini, and Ngāi Tahu, from the East.
“It has been an honour to apply our skills to a project that celebrates our own indigenous communities and establish real, local connections to the people of the West Coast. It has been a deeply meaningful experience for our team.” — Rehua Wilson, Wētā Workshop Designer
The Māwhera visitor experience opened on December 11, 2023, and Kawatiri opened on January 31, 2024. For more information, visit Pounamupathway.com
Learn more about Wētā Workshop’s Immersive Experiences division and their incredible work here.