Creative Realm Pou - Te Tihi o Manono
Carver: Joseph Hemara
The three baskets of knowledge
The Creative Realm of Io-Matua Kore Pou talks about the realm where the three baskets of knowledge were made.
The top figure from the head to the rim of the first basket represents the uppermost realms to the pinnacle of Manono, the creative realm of Io the Supreme Being.
Here in the twelfth heaven the three baskets of knowledge along with two sacred stones, Whatu-kura (called Hukatai - knowledge and Rehutai - wisdom) were kept in safekeeping.
The three baskets of knowledge in the middle of the pou represent:
1 Te Kete Tuāuri
This is the basket containing the knowledge that is Tua-uri (beyond, in the dark) - the knowledge which understands the experience of our senses.
It is the understanding we build up of the real world.
2 Te Kete Tuātea
This is the basket that contains the knowledge of spiritual realities, the world we experience in ritual, in prayer. It is through the word that we are called to take our part as human beings in the whole involvement of the universe.
3 Te Kete Aronui
This is the basket containing the knowledge of what we see, aronui (that before us) as apprehended by the senses.
Te Ara Whanui a Tāne - The Broad Pathway of Tane
This is the pathway that Tāne used to climb to the heavens (Ti Tihi o Manono) by way of te aka matua, the sacred vine. The red unaunahi patterns running up the sides of this pou represent the pathway that Tāne took on his journey.
In relation to the library this Pou could represent the actions and processes needed to retrieve information, e.g. searching the library catalogue.