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This poupou (carved figure), Te Puna Wai Mātauranga (the wellspring of knowledge), stands outside the University of Waikato library in Hamilton. It represents Tāwhaki who, along with his brother Karihi, was guided by their blind kuia (grandmother), Whaitiri. In many traditions kaumātua were vital for guiding their mokopuna (grandchildren) as they undertook particular quests.
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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
by Shirley Williams
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