In a move that will help rangatahi understand the history of Tāmaki Makaurau, 18 recreational places in South Auckland will have new dual Te Reo-English names.
The changes come as part of Te Kete Rukuruku, a project between local iwi and Auckland council that aims to “ensure parks and other public spaces better reflect the region’s rich Māori heritage.”
Apulu Reece Autagavaia, chair of the Ōtara-Papatoetoe board, said that this is one of the few ways he and other local boards can make change.
“Local boards across Tamaki have good relationships with mana whenua and one of the issues that has come out of those relationships is how do we re-instore some of the ingoa (name) Māori stories behind the names of parks,” he told the Herald.
“Local boards don’t have too much power, but this is one of the ways where we do have power over public spaces. We want to reinstate those stories so our younger people can know the stories of Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau.”
To him, the story of Hayman Park (Manu-kau Noa Iho) is particularly striking.
“The Tainui waka was portaged overland and they heard all these noises,” he explained. “They thought they were people only to find out they were birds.”
“That’s what Manu-kau Noa Iho translates to, this is what mana whenua have told us: ‘It’s only just birds’. I think that’s a really great way to capture so many things.”
As well as the 18 venues with dual names, three parks will change to new Te Reo names.
Venues with new dual names
- Te Pae o Manukau / Manukau Sports Bowl and Velodrome
- Te Ara Kuaka / Manukau Square
- Te Paataka Koorero o Papatoetoe / Papatoetoe War Memorial Library
- Te Wharau o Kohuora / Papatoetoe Town Hall
- Papa-kohu / Caringbah Park
- Paa-maioro / Derrimore Park
- Taupae / Dissmeyer Park
- Waikohu / Ferndown Park
- Kohuora / Glenmary Place Reserve
- Manu-kau Noa Iho / Hayman Park
- Mauku-rahi / Kennel Hill Reserve
- Whenua Makuru / Maxwell Park
- Karanga-manu / Sikkim Park
- Papatairite / Sunnyside Domain Park
- Tooia mai / Swaffield Park
- One-whakaawa / Williams Creek Esplanade Reserve
- Kohi-toetoe / Wintere Park
- Papatoetoe / Papatoetoe Recreation Ground
Venues with new Te Reo names
- Puhinui (formerly Colin Dale Park)
- Poro-toetoe (formerly Motatau Park)
- Puhinui (formerly Puhinui Reserve)
