Hornby High School Sculpture Project , July 2022

The Māori name for Hornby High School is Te Huruhuru Ao o Horomaka, or the feathered world of Horomaka. This references the fact that historically Hornby was a wetlands where local Māori would trap, cook and preserve birds in preparation for winter. When the school was rebuilt in 2020, the three main teaching blocks (our kāhui) were named after the school's three "houses": Mōhua (the yellowhead), Riroriro (the grey warbler) and Tīeke (the saddleback). These three birds used to be found in large numbers around Hornby, so it seemed fitting that the kāhui were named after these birds. These carvings, created with the assistance of Year 7 - 9 students from each of the three kāhui, are currently on display in the school's boardroom before being rehoused in their respective kāhui.