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A sacred pou whenua, installed to honour Tongariro and the hallowed mountains, has emerged from the flames of the wildfire ripping through the area with only some charring.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said he spotted the figure from a helicopter during a flyover of the damage yesterday.

“There are charred remains of the earth, but actually in the middle of it all, there’s one little area where it’s a little bit of green, and right there is where the carving to the pou [post marker], there standing and amongst all the smoke, and it has not been destroyed.

“It’s been charred, it’s been scarred, but it’s still there”.

Photos show a small portion of the damage to the carving on the lower right side. At first glance, you would not suspect it had been damaged at all.

The fire also did not damage the hut in the gravel carpark, with information and toilets for those about to embark on the crossing.

Charring on the pou whenua. Photo / Mike Scott

“What if the land beneath our feet held stories and spirits, and the rivers and mountains were living entities,” a message on the steps reads behind the pou whenua.

The sign welcoming and farewelling those from the mountains also remains.

The photos, taken this morning, show the thick grey smoke continuing to billow in the background.

The pou whenua at the beginning of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing remains standing after fire rips through the area. Photo / Mike Scott

Potaka unveiled the pou whenua almost exactly a year ago, on November 1, 2024. He attended the blessing at the site and gave a speech on its importance to local iwi.

He said it represented Te Ririo, a significant figure in the histories of Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro, hapū of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

“From the time Ngātoroirangi, paramount ancestor of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, ascended Tongariro, the maunga has been of great importance for his descendants. The pou and cultural installation at Mangatepopo introduce visitors to the sacred landscape they are entering,” Potaka said.

“The new features focus on cultural understanding and safety and reflect the mana of Tongariro, to help perpetuate ongoing respect for the land along the popular trail.”

At the time, he said its purpose was to introduce visitors to the sacred landscape they are entering.

This morning, Potaka said the area had cultural and personal significance to him, as he grew up just down the road from where the fire continues to burn.