Waka and Wave by @Thorvald (El Thorvaldo)

Commissioned in 1996 by the Whangarei Art Museum and unveiled 2 July 2006, "Waka and Wave" is a concrete/stone sculpture located on the shore of the Whangarei harbour. The waka (canoe) was designed by Te Warihi Hetaraka, with the wave by Chris Booth.

The descriptive plaque bears the artists' statement:

"This stone waka symbolises the culture of Aotearoa.

The wave symbolises the way that culture has been engulfed by waves of settlement and colonisation.

Even so, the waka remains intact and the way its prow emerges from the waves shows how our culture has survived these waves of change.

This symbolism applies to all of us now.

Change is inevitable and culture is enduring as long as we draw on our inner strength and adaptability so that no matter what comes our way in the future, we will survive."

Original photo taken May 2014. Submitted to Buzzly.art December 2021; reuploaded to DeviantArt February 2022.