2010 Ghost of the Huia

Ghost of the Huia was installed in Palmerston North by the artist and Bronwyn Zimmerman, the artist’s gallery representative in the city, during a revitalisation project in which the City Council encouraged members of the community to take up “placemaking” to enhance public spaces in creative ways.

The huia is a particularly beautiful tribute for its significance to the Manawatū. The last confirmed sighting of a live huia was in the nearby Tararua ranges in 1907, before the bird was hunted to extinction by introduced predators and humans.

Huia were unusual in that they mated for life, so were particularly vulnerable. Male and female huia had dramatically different sized bills; hers was a long and slender curved bill, while his was shorter and less curved.

The huia ‘ghost’ in this work, with her large curved bill, is a female; she perches on a circular base of Corten steel.

The work is located at the intersection of Church Street and The Square, across from Square Edge Arts Centre, in Palmerston North.