Wellington Writers Walk Sculpture

A new artwork is coming to Wellington’s iconic waterfront Writers Walk – the Walk’s first sculpture in te reo Māori, and the first addition to the Walk since 2013. We’re urgently seeking funding to complete installation in time for Matariki 2026. With your help, we'll make it happen!

The sculpture's text – ‘He Karakia mō Puanga mā Matariki’ by Ben Ngaia (Te Āti Awa) – is reflected in the sculpture and landscape design, all strongly relating to Matariki. The waterfront location, near Te Papa and with a view of the harbour and towards Matariki as it rises, lends itself to engaging with Matariki mā Puanga and Matariki Ahi Kā celebrations, and to year-round reflection and contemplation.

Wellington Writers Walk began as a project of the Wellington Branch of The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc.) (NZSA). Since the unveiling of the first 11 sculptures in 2002, the Walk has become a much-loved and integral part of the Wellington waterfront.

Today the Walk consists of a series of 23 quotations honouring and celebrating the lives and works of New Zealand writers – poets, novelists, playwrights, biographers – all of whom had or have a connection with Wellington. The city itself is often featured as a topic in the poetic plaques.

The new sculpture features text by Ben Ngaia (Te Āti Awa), sculpture design by David Hakaraia (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Paoa), and landscape design by Tama Whiting (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui). 

This project is a partnership and collaboration between Wellington Writers Walk and Mana Whenua, with funding from the Stout Trust (managed by Perpetual Guardian) and WCC’s Public Art Fund.

We’re urgently seeking $17,600 to cover the minimum cost of installing the sculpture in time for Matariki 2026. (This includes $1,600 for administration by Boosted to cover website costs, receipt of donations and funds transfer.)

This project has been supported by grants from Stout Trust (managed by Perpetual Guardian) and WCC’s Public Art Fund. We’re enormously grateful for this funding, which has covered the cost of sculpture design and manufacture. Manufacture of the sculpture is underway, on track, and nearing completion.

But costs for installation (including “hardscaping” and landscaping) are higher than expected, leaving us facing a shortfall of $16,000 to carry out the installation (ensuring accessibility) of the sculpture.

Our aim is to raise funds through Boosted to cover the shortfall, in time for installation for Matariki 2026 to go ahead as scheduled.

Your tax-deductible donation will go towards installing the sculpture to an accessible hardscape/landscape design by Tama Whiting.

The energetic and dedicated volunteers who make up the committee of Wellington Writers Walk will fundraise through special events to add to this sum. Any surplus from our full range of fundraising will bridge the gap required to fund additional elements of the installation concept design (including additional signage, seating), and/or be carried forward to fund the ongoing and continuing work of the Walk.

In 2026, we’re adding a new sculpture to the Wellington Writers Walk. It will be the Walk’s first sculpture in te reo Māori, and the first addition to the Walk since 2013.

The kaupapa of our project is to recognise and honour te reo Māori, and literature written in te reo Māori, and to acknowledge and honour the history and presence of Mana Whenua in this area. This new sculpture will stand alone in (but also work with) the suite of existing works in the Walk.

This will be an eye-catching, compelling sculpture, and a memorable addition to the city’s creative and sculptural landscape. Embedded in and reflecting the natural landscape, the work is designed to survive the varied natural elements Wellington can throw at its waterfront. It will be safe and accessible for all viewers.

This engaging three-dimensional interpretation of Ben Ngaia’s poem will not only showcase the words but will reflect te ao Māori – with the words embedded, upheld and entwined in te ao Māori. The sculpture's text – ‘He Karakia mō Puanga mā Matariki’, composed by Ben Ngaia – is reflected in the sculpture design by David Hakaraia and landscape design by Tama Whiting, all strongly relating to Matariki. The waterfront location, near Te Papa and with a view of the harbour and towards Matariki as it rises, lends itself to engaging with Matariki mā Puanga and Matariki Ahi Kā celebrations, and to year-round reflection and contemplation.

We see this as a permanent reminder of the importance of Matariki as a locally and nationally unifying event in our calendar.

Wellington Writers Walk is a physical reminder that our literature is embedded in the landscape and the cityscape, and that it can be encountered as part of our daily lives. The Walk adds interest to the waterfront, giving it a captivating and unique literary flavour.

The new sculpture is a long overdue addition to the Walk, celebrating writing in te reo Māori and its fundamental importance in Aotearoa’s literary and lived landscape.

The Wellington Writers Walk is free to everyone who walks, bikes or otherwise makes their way along the waterfront. It has a wide general appeal and often appears in travel articles and social media. The new sculpture will promote bicultural dialogue for a general audience, including Wellington locals, visitors (both national and international) and school groups.

The waterfront location of the new sculpture, near Te Papa and with a view of the harbour and towards Matariki as it rises, lends itself to engaging with Matariki mā Puanga and Matariki Ahi Kā celebrations, and to year-round reflection and contemplation.

We see this as a permanent reminder of the importance of Matariki as a locally and nationally unifying event in our calendar.