Te Mauri o Pukekohekohe: Pukekohe Central Kindergarten’s wall mural
If you live in Pukekohe, you have probably seen our wonderful mural that was commissioned as part of Pukekohe Central Kindergarten's 70th Anniversary celebrations.
More than just a beautiful piece of art, this mural tells a powerful local Māori myth: Te Mauri o Pukekohekohe.
Pukekohe High School generously sponsored the paint and equipment needed for the project. Under the guidance of art teacher Catherine Tamihere, students collaborated to develop the mural's concept, in consultation with kuia from the local area.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance Pukekohe through public art, recognising community identity and shaping a narrative that celebrates our community's rich history. In 2025, the Pukekohe Library put on an exhibition to showcase the mural and the local story it represents. Click here to read the write-up about it from the Franklin Times.
A story rooted in the land
A long time ago, the forests around Pukekohekohe were full of Kererū, Tūī and Kākaā, which provided for the needs of the local people. There was a special mauri stone kept in a secret place, the location of which was only known by a few people.
The fame of the mauri stone, and word of the abundance of birdlife in Pukekohekohe had spread as far as the Te Urewera.
A young rangatira of Tūhoe announced to his people that he was going to steal the mauri stone from Pukekohekohe and bring it back to them. He travelled to Pukekohekohe with a plan to become part of the community. He married a woman from a local tribe. He took part in all the activities of the king, and when the bird hunting season came around, he joined the other young men on their expeditions into the forest.
He tricked a guardian of the mauri stone into showing him where it was.
One day, soon after that, he went out and took the mauri stone, putting it in a basket carrying eels, and started his long journey home.
Meanwhile, when the local people came into the forest in Pukekohekohe, it was silent; there was no bird sound or movement in the treetops. Wherever they went, there was the same mysterious silence.
The inhabitants of Pukekohekohe realised the rangatira from Tūhoe had taken the stone and quickly two taua were on his trail: one travelling up the Waikato by canoe and the other over land.
The rangatira of Tūhoe passed through the swamps, reaching Maungatautari as the mauri stone grew heavier and heavier.
The young rangatira could see that the taua following him were getting closer and he knew that he would not make it back to his home, but he was determined that no one would have possession of the stone but him.
He threw himself over a bluff and, with the stone clasped in his arms, sank swiftly down to the bottom of the lake. Neither the rangatira of Te Urewera nor the mauri stone of Pukekohekohe were seen again.
There were very few birds left in Pukekohekohe after that, but they say that the influence of the mauri stone, emanating from the waters of the lake, affected the forests around Rotorua and even extended to Te Urewera, where birds became more plentiful.
Pukekohe Central Kindergarten are incredibly proud to display an artwork that captures this story in vivid colour and emotion. More than a decoration, the mural is a living lesson for our tamariki about deep local connections between people and the land. It stands as a testament to the creativity of our youth, the richness of our local stories, and the enduring spirit of Pukekohekohe.
Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro – Nōnā te ngāhere,
Ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga – Nōnā te Ao.
The bird that consumes the miro berry – Knows the forest,
The bird that consumes knowledge – Owns the World
Winter Warm Up Raffle
Be in to WIN 1 of 2 Samsung A9 Tablets!
You could be in to win one of 5 amazing prizes to be drawn on Thursday 26th June 2025
Tickets are $2 each or three tickets for $5 and are available to purchase from your local CMKA Kindergarten or Early Learning Centre between the dates of 3rd June to 24th June 2025.
What happens with the money we raise?
ALL profits will be distributed back to the participating CMKA Kindergartens and Early Learning Centres to be used to buy new resources!
THE AMAZING PRIZES!
⭐ First Prize (2 chances to win!)
Snuggle up with the latest A9 Samsung Tablet and enjoy a Ray White Papakura gift box for your home.
⭐ Second Prize
Winter Feasts made easy with a Sunbeam Secret Chef 5.5L Slow Cooker, Pepper & Me spices and a hearty meat pack.
⭐ Third Prize
Starry nights ahead with 2 x family passes to Auckland Stardome + activities for winter days spent indoors.
⭐ Fourth Prize
Cosy comforts galore – a pamper basket from What’s in Stock Papakura, chocolates, and a snuggly blanket.
Get in quick, only 2500 tickets available!
We would like to give a big THANK YOU to our sponsors who have provided some of our amazing prizes, especially those mentioned below:
The Warehouse Takanini
Pak’nSave Papakura
Ray White Papakura
What’s in Stock Papakura
Stardome Auckland Observatory
Qizzle
Terms & Conditions
- Competition will run from 3rd June 2025 – 24th June 2025 throughout the Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association Kindergartens and Early Learning Centres.
- The winners will be randomly selected from all valid entries.
- Tickets are limited to 2500 tickets organisation wide.
- There is no limit on the number of tickets any one person can buy.
- Ticket sheets of 40 tickets are distributed evenly across all participating centres and extras are available upon request.
- Tickets to be sold for $2 each ticket, with the option of purchasing three tickets for $5. This can be paid for in cash or bank transfer to the kindergarten/early learning centre.
- To ensure your ticket is a valid entry, payment must be made and received before 11:59pm on 24th June 2025. Tickets not paid for by this time will be considered invalid.
- The first prize will be awarded to 2 people, with each receiving an A9 Samsung Tablet and a Ray White Papakura gift box,
- The A9 Samsung Tablet is the latest model at the time of print.
- Entry open to everyone, including employees of CMKA. 5 prize packs to be drawn on Thursday 26th June 2025 at CMKA Head Office.
- Prizes will be drawn using the online random name generator.
- Prize winner(s) will be contacted via their phone number and then announced on Facebook and Instagram following 26th June 2025.
- Prize(s) must be collected from CMKA Head Office or be delivered to the winner by CMKA Head Office Staff by Friday 11th July 2025.
- By participating in this competition, participants agree to abide by these terms and conditions and any decisions made by CMKA regarding the competition.
- All funds raised will be distributed back to the participating CMKA Kindergartens and early learning centres to be used to buy new resources for their centres.
Thank you – KidsCan
A massive THANK YOU to KidsCan for the jackets and gumboots for all our tamariki at our Settlement Road Early Learning centre in Papakura. These are greatly appreciated as we head into the cold winter season.
As you can see, our tamariki absolutely love them!
Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association (CMKA) and KidsCan have a long-standing partnership, with KidsCan supporting a number of our kindergartens and early learning centres across South Auckland and Counties Manukau.
To learn more about our centre, please visit our page | Settlement Road Early Learning
Thank you – Pub Charity Limited
A big thank you to Pub Charity Limited for their generous contribution of a mud kitchen and water trough to Finlayson Park Kindergarten! These additions have made our wonderful outdoor play space even better for our tamariki, sparking endless creativity, sensory exploration, and collaborative play.
Your support makes a real difference!
