Te Hau Tāhengihengi was originally put up at Christmas, but had to be removed after it was targeted by vandals.
“It was disappointing to see the artwork damaged by graffiti,” Te Pātaka o Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula Community Board member Reuben Davidson said.
“We had to remove the panels, restore the artwork and have a topcoat seal applied to protect it.”
Two layers of a protective seal were put over top of it so if it was tagged in the future, it would be much easier to clean.
Lyttelton artist Amber Moke oversaw the creative aspects of the artwork and worked on restoring it.
To Moke, the mural was an interpretation of a korowai - a traditional woven Māori cloak - and symbolised safety and protection.
She wanted it to be inclusive, to add a touch of femininity to the area, and to create a piece of work that acknowledged the intergenerational efforts of everyone involved.
About 30 to 40 residents helped to paint the mural last year.
Moke noted the mural was about finding commonality and was a great example of the community working together.
Davidson acknowledged that “right from the start, people got on board and helped, from Fulton Hogan who provided the site, Lyttelton Port Company with people and resource, and Resene with a whole lot of paint,” Davidson said.
“This empowered the community to come together and create the artwork,” Davidson said.
He hoped the protective seal would discourage graffitists from tagging it again.
“It’s great to have this large artwork, telling the story of our Whaka-Ora Healthy Harbour korowai on such a prominent corner in port.”
The mural was a visualisation of these Healthy Harbour plans and represented the environmental aspirations, Moke said.
She appreciated all the support and the people that made it happen, and said she was “really thankful to be able to contribute to Ōhinehou vibe.”
