The Meaning behind the Tentacle Barrier



Fons Trompenaars breaks down culture into 3 layers: the explicit products, norms and values, and assumptions about existence. The outermost of these cultural levels can be observed as one walks around Wellington. One example is the barrier comprised of tentacles, pictured above. The barrier separates the sidewalk, located to the left of the tentacles, from a road leading into a parking lot. Although the culture does not lie in what the tentacle barrier divides, it is important to note that this artwork is located in the middle of the city where pedestrians and drivers alike can view it. This being said, the physical presence of the tentacles only skims the surface of culture. It is not until these explicit products are interpreted and have meanings attributed to them that a culture can more completely be understood.

In order to gain a better sense of culture, the second level of Trompenaars model must be examined. The decision to use artwork to divide something as common as a road and a sidewalk suggests that New Zealanders value appearance. They would rather use a series of basic sculptures as a divider than insert an unsightly barricade. By using a regional symbol, attention is drawn towards its charm and away from the fact that it is separating the sidewalk from the road. In this sense, the practical purpose of the tentacle barrier is understated and can be overlooked more easily than if a standard, obtrusive barrier. Residents and visitors are able to enjoy the artwork as they wander around Wellington.

Similarly, the choice to use tentacles for each of the sculptures insinuates that New Zealanders value lore. The tour guide from the Museum of Wellington City and Sea mentioned that many of these stories are regional, even though there are resemblances to those from other regions. The tentacle barrier alludes to the Maori story of Kupe and the Giant Wheke. In this Wellington version, Kupe and the other fisherman from his village are not able to catch any fish because a giant wheke, or octopus, is stealing their bait. In response, Kupe chases down and defeats this octopus. The selection of a symbol that is tied to a story about the creation of the land indicates the significance of this story to New Zealanders. More importantly, it reveals New Zealanders’ regional and national pride.

By showcasing this symbol in the middle of the city where anybody passing by can view and admire the tentacle artwork, New Zealanders are able to publicly acknowledge the significance of the story. The artwork serves as a reminder to residents about their culture and stimulates oral history. As residents pass the symbolic tentacles, they are able to relay the story of how Kupe hunted down Te Wheke o Muturangi to their children and grandchildren. With time, stories such as this one would be told with greater frequency as those who once heard this story share it with others. On the other hand, the story is probably unbeknownst to most visitors. Some visitors may just enjoy the tentacles as artwork, but others may recognize the artwork as something more. Since Wellington is located near the coast, visitors could extrapolate that the sea plays a significant role in Wellington’s history due to its close proximity. Other visitors might approach a New Zealander to inquire about what the tentacles represent, further reinforcing oral history.

Comparable to New Zealand, the United States also has artwork with practical uses. In Oregon, highway overpasses are decorated with metalwork of animals. Depending on the location of the overpass, the represented animals vary depending on the subculture of the area. For example, the grillwork on the overpasses by the Columbia River depicts salmon. The reason for selecting salmon was in part due to the proximity to the Columbia River, but also to allude to the importance of salmon in Native American culture. Similarly, the overpasses near Pendleton, Oregon display artwork of horses. In this case, the horses symbolize the annual Pendleton Roundup. Akin to how New Zealanders would be able to recite the story of Kupe and the Giant Wheke, Oregonians would be able to explain the significance between the animals and a particular region. Despite being across the globe from each other, both New Zealand and the United States both subscribe to practical aestheticism. Since the culture of a foreign country is often imagined by how it differs from one’s own culture, it is often the similarities of the two cultures are mistakenly overlooked.