About
Kopuwai on our horizon
Welcome to the Manuherekia Conference Centre. In recognition of the sacred rivers, places and mountains among which we live, and of its first travellers, we share with you the meaning of these Maori place names:
Manuherekia – Sometimes hyphenated, Manu-here-kia literally means “bird tethered here”. The scout walking from the coast to the hinterland, deciding on the safest place to cross the braided ever-changing Manuherekia River, tethered a bird there to guide all who followed. We borrow the name with Ngai Tahu approval and share this space, a safe gathering place, with you.
Haehaeata – the prominent Leaning Rock skyline feature to our north, is feminine, she is first to greet the dawn, and is also seen as a lantern lighting the way for people travelling inland from the coast.
Kopuwai – the long skyline ridge of the masculine Kopuwai, the given name of the mountain immediately south-west of Alexandra also known as the Old Man Range, sees the last light of day.
Ruma - Room.
Manuherekia logo
Mountains valleys rivers earth sky
A safe place for gathering
The coming together
Maori and European
Masculine and Feminine
Unfurling, unfolding, opening, growing…
Together we prosper
and Korowai
Korowai is a type of Maori cloak woven in flax and adorned with black dyed tags of flax fibre. The pattern above is intended for print material and building screens, and is a symbolic korowai, cloak for the Manuherekia Conference Centre.
Artwork, photography and narrative by Sonia Waters #wildself #soniawaters
Location
59 Russell Street, Alexandra
Central Otago, New Zealand
Hours
8am to 5pm Monday to Friday
After hours bookings available on request
