Te reo Māori names adopted for Whau parks

Twenty six additional parks in Whau will now carry dual Māori / English names. The names were formally adopted at Whau Local Board’s recent business meeting.

In August 2018, the Whau Local Board invited mana whenua to name 99 parks in the local board area by endorsing Te Kete Rukuruku, Auckland Council’s cultural identity programme to collect and share the stories unique to Māori in Auckland. The programme is led by iwi, in partnership with the council and its local boards. To date, 49 parks have dual Māori / English names in the Whau Local Board area. Over time, more places will give visibility to Māori culture and heritage.

Progressing and building on its efforts to recognise the area’s Māori heritage, Whau Local Board chairperson Kay Thomas says, "As a board, it is great to be making strides in this area of work, to have te Reo seen and heard in public places with the guidance of mana whenua. It helps us all to reconnect with the land we call home in a much more meaningful way.”

In some cases, these names existed prior to the current names, or they may reflect an environmental theme or historical activity in the area prior to European settlement.

Local parks in Whau are considered to have set an example in elevating cultural heritage such as Sister Rene Shadbolt Park which will soon carry new bilingual signage and an interpretive text telling the story behind the new Māori name, Tiakina. Tiakina means to look after, care, protect and conserve.  Remembering the mahi (work) of Sister Rene Shadbolt as well as the Māori nurses that went to war. Tiakina can also relate to caring for the whenua and natural resources.

Te reo Māori names for parks and two libraries in Whau

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