The Kūmara Awards 2021 have been awarded to celebrate incredible placemaking happening across Aotearoa. It is a community-driven showcase of the outstanding placemaking projects happening in our communities.
Kōre te kūmara e kōrero ana mo tōna ake reka. The kūmara does not brag about its own sweetness - but others do.
This year, Eke Panuku congratulates the Jessie Tonar Scout Reserve project for winning a Kūmara Award.
We also congratulate the Great North Gallery and the He Pia He Tauira Programme for being shortlisted for an award.
These projects and groups continue to do amazing placemaking for Tamaki Makaurau. Eke Panuku thank you for your mahi that brings positive outcomes for place, communities, and the environment.
Jessie Tonar Scout Reserve, Northcote
Honoured with the award in the ‘Saving the World One Place at a Time’ category, judges recognised Jessie Tonar Scout Reserve “for being the flourishing result of collective regenerative placemaking efforts that nurture both people and place.”
Over the last 3 years, the Kaipātiki Project have been supporting placemaking and restoration activities in the Jessie Tonar Scout Reserve and within Te Ara Awataha, on behalf of Eke Panuku.
Te Ara Awataha is a 1.5km green corridor located in the heart of the Northcote town centre and housing redevelopment.
The Awataha stream flows through Te Ara Awataha, beginning at the puna (spring) in Jessie Tonar Scout Reserve. The majority of the stream has been confined to an underground pipe since the 1950s. The planned regeneration and daylighting of the stream will assist with stormwater management, provide a key public open space, connectivity and improve ecology.
The Kaipātiki Project work alongside community and mana whenua to ensure that the design and implementation of Jessie Tonar Scout Reserve is appropriate to the place and community.
Walking alongside the project from the beginning, we acknowledge our mana whenua partners Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Te Patukirikiri, Ngaati Whanaunga, Ngāti Whātua Runanga, Ngāti Maru, Ngā Maunga Whakahī o Kaipara, Te Ākitai Waiohua, and Ngāti Paoa Trust Board who ensure best outcomes for all.
Working with local community volunteers, corporate groups, and rough sleepers (via the Street Guardians Programme) the Kaipātiki Project remove weeds, plant natives, and monitor water quality in the reserve. They also engage with neighbours and locals, through monthly working bees.
These restoration and placemaking initiatives bring existing and new communities together to collectively develop a sense of tiakitanga and build the community’s capacity to look after this natural taonga now and into the future.
Great North Gallery
Placemaking in Avondale invites communities to be involved in the way they are reflected and represented in their places, so that their voices are heard.
Twelve poster frames along Great North Road in the heart of Avondale have provided a platform for people’s voice and culture to be amplified and celebrated.
Dayne Smith of I Love Avondale, resident and advocate, curates the content for the posters in the Great North Gallery. The posters have displayed drone footage of Avondale locations, people of Avondale, stories of awa, the Whau art festival, Estefania Lopez’s love letter to Avondale and many more pieces of art.
These posters quietly and steadily provide the community with inspiration and build resilience for its voice to be heard amongst ongoing changes in Avondale
The He Pia He Tauira programme activity Hīkoi ki nga Whetū
Through partnering with Mana Whenua, the Placemaking team of Eke Panuku had the opportunity to establish a Rōpū Rangatahi in 2018.
The name He Pia, He Tauira was gifted by Mana Whenua to the programme to emphasis the journey of rangatahi from an entry-level to a leader. The collaboration between a master and a novice is also conveyed through the name.
The purpose of He Pia, He Tauira is to provide opportunities for rangatahi to engage in placemaking activities within Eke Panuku neighbourhoods. It enables development in placemaking and supports young mana whenua in the practice of kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga through regeneration projects for Auckland.
The 2021 intake for He Pia, He Tauira were congratulated for their first activation held in May, Hīkoi ki ngā Whetū walk to the stars.
Taking inspiration and lessons learnt from previous groups of He Pia, He Tauira, rangatahi created the activation Hīkoi ki ngā Whetū walk to the stars.
Guiding attendees through a Te Ao Māori experience, rangatahi organised and delivered a silent disco hikoi from “Daldy Street to the stars”.
Eke Panuku congratulate all the winners and projects nominated for this year’s Kūmara Awards.
Hīkoi ki nga Whetū
