The Story of Tūhono

Our Mauri Stone

Tūhono

Tūhono is a mauri stone (pounamu) held by Sport Canterbury. It was developed as a taonga that reflects connection across the organisation, its people, and the communities of Te Waipounamu, the South Island.

Background

The development of a mauri stone at Sport Canterbury came during a period of organisational transition. This included the relocation of the head office from Hornby to Parakiore, alongside wider work to strengthen connections across a geographically dispersed workforce and build more meaningful relationships with mana whenua.

Alongside this was an ongoing shift within the organisation, as staff deepened their understanding of te ao Māori and tikanga and began considering how to reflect this in everyday practice. As teams became more distributed, there was a growing awareness that the organisation needed something that could hold a shared sense of place, identity, and purpose.

The idea of a mauri stone emerged from this context. It provided a way to ground the organisation in place, while also recognising the collective nature of the mahi and the relationships that underpin it.

A mauri stone is a taonga that holds and represents the mauri, or life force, identity, and connection of a group, place, or kaupapa. ​​​​​​​

The development was also informed by the idea of a toka tūmoana, an anchor stone within te ao Māori used in traditional navigation contexts to stabilise a waka. A toka tūmoana holds a waka in place while allowing it to respond to movement in water and environment, providing grounding while remaining responsive to change.

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Shaping and Selection

The pounamu was selected in late 2025 through engagement with Tūhono Taonga Tūhono Tāngata, a Christchurch-based group with whakapapa and ongoing connection to Te Tai Poutini, working with pounamu and taonga.

Sport Canterbury representatives visited their workspace at the Climate Action Campus, where a range of pounamu was presented for selection. The chosen stone originated from the Arahura River on the West Coast of Te Waipounamu, an area closely associated with pounamu formation and customary sourcing.

In November 2025, Sport Canterbury staff participated in a full-day workshop to shape the stone. The process involved progressive grinding and sanding to bring the pounamu into form, moving from coarse shaping through to finer refinement that revealed the natural structure of the stone.

The upper surface was finished to a smooth polish. This was intentional, reflecting the work undertaken to date across Sport Canterbury in developing relationships, capability, and shared understanding through a bicultural journey.

The underside was left in its original natural state, where any markings present are inherent to the stone itself. This creates a distinction between what has been shaped and what remains unchanged, reflecting that organisational development is not linear or complete, but held across people, place, and time, and continues to evolve through ongoing practice.

Whānau were present during parts of the workshop. Children worked with smaller pieces of pounamu and participated in guided activity alongside staff and carvers. Their involvement included assisting with aspects of sanding and preparation, supporting the wider shaping process. This reflected an intentional approach that the formation of culture is relational and intergenerational and is strengthened through shared participation in both practical and symbolic work.​​​​​​​

At the conclusion of the workshop, small carved pieces were gifted to the children who attended, as a gesture of generosity from the carvers.

Naming

The naming of Tūhono took place during a two-day noho at Ōnuku Marae on 4 and 5 June 2026.

The noho was structured around two main intentions: strengthening the connection between staff and completing the naming of the stone. Learning the waiata formed part of that process and helped create a shared experience across the group.

As staff made their way to the water’s edge, the tide had pulled back from Ōnuku Bay, leaving the rocks dark and glistening. Five people carried containers of water, including jars and a bottle, each filled from rivers across the region, including the Arahura, Māwhera, Rangitata, Rakaia, and Waimakariri.

Photographs of the collection points were laid out alongside the water, including bends in rivers, light on the surface, and banks where the containers had been filled.

The water was then poured over the pounamu. It ran across the surface and down into the rocks and sea, bringing the gathered waters together in one place.

The naming was guided by two collective questions:

Ko wai tēnei kōhatu? — What is the name of this stone?
The response: Ko Tūhono — Tūhono is its name.

Mō wai tēnei kōhatu? — Who is this stone for?
The response: Mō tātou, mō ngā uri whakatipu — For us and those yet to come.

The naming was supported by karakia and the singing of a waiata composed specifically for Sport Canterbury.​​​​​​​

Meaning of Tūhono​​​​​​​

The name Tūhono carries the meaning “to connect, to link, to join.” It reflects both the process through which the stone was created and the role it holds within the organisation.

It represents connection across staff in different regions and roles, between Sport Canterbury and the communities it serves, and between people and place through shared relationships with whenua and wai. It also reflects continuity across time, acknowledging those involved in its formation and those who will engage with it in the future.

Ongoing Legacy

Tūhono remains part of Sport Canterbury’s ongoing story. It is carried into organisational spaces and continues to act as a point of grounding, reflection, and connection.

The stone is taken to events and gatherings across Te Waipounamu, where it represents Sport Canterbury and the relationships that connect its people, regions, and communities.

Within Parakiore and the wider Sport House environment, it is also shared with partner organisations and wider whānau (tenants), supporting connection and shared understanding across the building community.

Alongside the waiata, it holds a lasting place within Sport Canterbury as a taonga shaped through collective effort and as a reminder that this work continues. It reflects a shared commitment to build on what has been established, with each generation carrying both responsibility and opportunity to uphold and extend what has come before. Tūhono sits within a whakapapa of people, place and practice, supporting those who follow to step into these foundations and continue the kaupapa in ways that enable people and communities to thrive.