Behind the Breakthrough Motto - Kia Mataara
By coincidence, the tunnel boring machine (TBM) breakthrough into Karangahape Station this month occurred just after the 46th anniversary of Dame Whina Cooper’s own transformational journey.
In 1975, around 5000 marchers led by 79-year-old Dame Whina Cooper arrived at Parliament and presented a petition signed by 60,000 people to the Prime Minister of the time protesting the continual loss of Māori land.
The whānau (family) of our TBM’s namesake, Dame Whina Cooper, were involved in the breakthrough as well, albeit from a distance. Our main contractor, Link Alliance was gifted a phrase from her landmark speech in 1975, kia mataara (be alert, observe, witness), by Dame Whina’s daughter, Hinerangi Cooper – to mark the breakthrough and to recognise her importance to the project.
Dame Whina Cooper’s daughter, Hinerangi Cooper, at the TBM blessing in December 2020
In a message, Hinerangi Cooper, addressed the TBM directly saying her mother, together with St Barbara, the patron saint of miners, had guided it and its crews safely to Karangahape.
“Ka puta koe ki te Ao Marama" – you have entered the world of light, Hinerangi Cooper said.
“The first stage of your journey has ended successfully.”
By tradition, big underground machines carry the name of an important woman. The name of CRL’s TBM acknowledges Dame Whina Cooper’s mana and reputation as a woman of influence and significance for Māori and for wider New Zealand. To learn more about how the TBM was named and to keep up to date with its journey, go to DigCRL.co.nz.