A leader at an Auckland marae is disappointed the New Zealand-inspired aspect to a Chinese theme park has been dropped, but is glad the pa hasn't lost any taonga.
Awataha Marae had planned to send whakairo, taonga and performers to the site in Qufu City in northeastern Shandong province, but the chief executive, Anthony Wilson, said the developers changed their minds.
He said the pa was asked to send taonga, but refrained because it couldn't see enough progress was being made in the building of the gardens.
Mr Wilson said the marae employed 10 people to create carvings to send to China, but these now adorn the Awataha wharenui, or meeting house.
