On 27 June 1936, two memorials to Te Āti Awa doctor and politician Māui Pōmare were unveiled on Ōwae marae, Waitara. Te Ika-roa-a-Māui, a large whare whakairo (carved house), was funded by the Taranaki Māori Trust Board and carved under the supervision of Apirana Ngata. The marble statue of Pōmare was created by Christchurch sculptor William Trethewey. The image shows the cover of the publication produced for the unveiling of the memorials.

Pōmare, of Te Āti Awa and Ngāti Toa descent, was born at Urenui. He attended Te Aute College with his colleague and friend Peter Buck (Te Rangi Hīroa) of Ngāti Mutunga, and trained as a medical doctor in Chicago. On his return to New Zealand he became the first medical officer to Māori. Māui Pōmare was the MP for Western Māori from 1911 until his death in 1930.