Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s Auckland Virtual Tours smartphone app is designed to educate visitors on the hapū’s connection to Auckland, the treasures of the natural environment, and the cultural and historical significance of the site.
The app’s first tour, Ahi Kā, at Takaparawhau – Bastion Point, launched in December 2017.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei hopes its latest tourism venture will deliver a low-impact way of capitalising on the 500,000 visitors Bastion Point receives annually.
This precious land needs to be properly managed and protected so that it remains a sustainable asset for future generations; the hapū hopes this new venture will provide supplemental income to support infrastructure and sustainability initiatives.
Connecting visitors and locals with the history of Tāmaki Makaurau
The AR experience is designed to connect locals and international visitors alike with the history of Tāmaki Makaurau and the hapū is embracing cutting-edge technology to share its culture and local stories and legends with visitors.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Business Development Manager Jamie Cook says there are also educational crossovers: “The app will be delivered in three languages - English, Māori, and Mandarin – so children in Te Reo schools and those learning to speak the language can use it as an interactive tool to further their learning.
"Oral traditions are handed down from generation to generation. This knowledge needs to be shared to survive and technology is providing new ways to share our stories with a wider audience.”
While fully-guided ‘Home Fires of Tāmaki’ walking tours are already on offer, the hapū hopes to give more people the chance to hear their unique stories of Auckland through the Auckland Virtual Tours app. It provides a richly detailed, self-guided tour of Bastion Point centred around four stories linked to the four main compass points.
The hapū have also recently opened a tourism hub and coffee bar at Takaparawhau – Bastion Point. The hub, named Koi, is the departure point for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei’s guided tour products, as well as a space for the iwi’s artists to display and sell authentic pieces.
Designed and built by Auckland-based studio M Theory, the immersive AR experience combines 360° video, audio narratives and augmented reality overlays.
“Working with local iwi to bring these stories to life has been an enriching experience for our team. We’ve used technology to link the past and the future through the Māori tradition of storytelling, creating an authentic and personal experience for as many visitors as possible,” says M Theory Managing Director Samantha Ramlu.
“The AR experience is based on the ‘Home Fires’ guided tour, and we hope it will also encourage more people to join the full tour.”
Download the app
Available in English, Māori, and Mandarin for both iOS and Android devices, Auckland Virtual Tours will be is now available as a free download from the iTunes and Google App Stores.
