Weaving Knowledge, Culture and Community: A Celebration of Tauranga Moana
In the heart of Tauranga Moana, a new artwork has taken its place. Māramatanga, hanging in the atrium of the new Holland Beckett office at Northern Quarter, was commissioned by the firm from local artist Julie Paama-Pengelly of Ngāi Te Rangi iwi. The work is more than sculpture; it’s a story woven from threads of knowledge, culture and community which celebrates the creative spirit of the artist and the vision and values of the firm.
Julie Paama-Pengelly, is a talented multidisciplinary artist. She holds a Master of Māori Visual Arts (Hon), a Master of Philosophy (Third World Development) and Toi Iho certification – a unique registered Aotearoa New Zealand trademark of Māori quality and authenticity. Julie is a driving force behind regional Māori arts strategic development through her role as Chair of Te Tuhi Mareikura Charitable Trust, and an advocate for the restoration of Māori women within tā moko practice. Her writing, teaching and strategic leadership complement her creative works and successful art studio. She has an indepth understanding of Māori design and cultural belief systems gained over 40 years of Toi Māori practice and 35 years of tā moko practice, and brings this knowledge into her other practice areas including painting, printmaking, graphic design, and in the case of this commission, sculpture and public art.
This artwork, Māramatanga, was chosen from submissions of several local artists. Holland Beckett is a long-standing supporter of the arts community and wanted to champion the talent and experience of the community by commissioning the piece locally.
Māramatanga means enlightenment. The suspended piece comprises three sculptural arrangements which allude to the three bodies of knowledge – kete-aronui, kete-tuauri and kete-tuatea – a powerful metaphor for law as expertise and wisdom.
The artwork is a visual representation of the firm’s brand and values. The Holland Beckett logomark represents the golden pingao fibre valued in tukutuku weaving, an art form which plays an important role in the passing on of stories and expresses Holland Beckett’s commitment to the Bay of Plenty community. Building on the history and relationship with weaving, Māramatanga focusses on the Tāniko technique of making traps and crayfish pots, celebrating Tauranga Moana in relation to the sea, and raranga in the woven elements affixed to each basket.
Whilst aligning with the values and history of the firm, the commission also had practical parameters. The work hangs in the firm’s atrium, viewed from below, above and as you walk up and down the internal stairwell. The artist said that these dynamic viewpoints informed the scale, shape and placement of each detail.
The lowest basket is adorned with fish. This basket represents the knowledge specific to the tangata whenua Māori who have lived their history in and around the waters of Tauranga Moana. The second basket is adorned with birds, which represent terrestrial knowledge, while the third basket represents Māori celestial knowledge adorned with stars.
This layered experience invites viewers to engage with the work as they move through the space, echoing the journey of learning and discovery, and the firms’ value ‘Dedication to Excellence’ which speaks to knowledge and expertise.
The work also had to be fit for purpose – in this case, lightweight, low-maintenance and long lasting. Each shape was mocked-up in paper and refined, then Julie and her daughter Kaiwhetu created the final elements with recycled aluminium window blinds – an unconventional choice ideal for the suspended work.
Other practical considerations were around the installation of the piece and how to create, transport and install the work. Local fabricators helped construct the baskets in a way that they would fit in the building’s elevator, then the fish, birds and stars were attached onsite –all while the building was still under construction. The firm is thankful to both Julie and the construction team for their adaptability, responding to shifting deadlines and ensuring the process remained smooth and collaborative.
The firm is proud to have Māramatanga as the centrepiece of the new office and the next chapter in the firm’s history. It is a tribute to the community that Holland Beckett are a part of and the people, history and environment of Tauranga Moana. The artist honours Māori culture through form and meaning while celebrating the firm’s dedication to knowledge, learning and excellence alongside commitment to supporting the communities we operate within. It’s a piece that invites interaction and connection, woven not just from aluminium blinds, but from the values that define us.
This article was first published in Our Place magazine, Dec 2025/Jan 2026.
