Vandalism of pou whenua - carved wooden posts identifying Māori places of significance and territory boundaries, in Aotearoa has sparked outrage and disappointment from mana whenua (local Maori with territorial rights).
On Christmas Eve, the Department of Conservation (Te Papa Atawhai) announced investigations had been launched with police in response to the vandalism of pou whenau along the Abel Tasman Coast Track on the country's South Island.
The sites, at Medlands Beach, near Bark Bay and further along at Marahau, were closed.
One is understood to have been damaged with a hammer, while the other was desecrated with paint.
DOC confirmed one pou whenau was of Te Ātiawa chief of Motueka, Hohāia Rangiāuru.
"Ka tangi te ngākau i tēnei mahi tÅ«kino" great-granddaughter of HohÄia, Melanie McGregor said: "I lament this act of violence."
The DOC joined mana whenua in an online hui on Monday, where future protection measures pou in the local National Park was discussed.
It's understood mana whenua plan to visit for cultural ceremony and to impose a rÄhui (restriction to access).
DOC acting operations manager Phil Crawford called the incidents "mindless acts of destruction".
"Honestly, we're not sure which is stranger - that someone would do something like this, or that they planned enough to bring a hammer and paint along to do it," Mr Crawford said.
"We hope that, given the amount of people on the track currently, someone must have seen something and will be able to pass the information along."
DOC have urged anyone with information to contact them or Police.
