Ten parks will now carry sole Te Reo Māori names replacing the existing English names. The names were formally adopted at Waitākere Ranges Local Board’s recent business meeting.
The board has also adopted Māori names as dual names for nine parks and two libraries in tranche two of Te Kete Rukuruku.
Waitākere Ranges Local Board chair Greg Presland is pleased the names have been approved.
“Te Reo Māori and Te Ao Māori are integral and unique to Aotearoa New Zealand. They are beautiful and they need to be preserved and enhanced,” says Presland.
“The local board has unashamedly chosen to adopt sole Māori names for many of the parks throughout the Te Kete Rukuruku process. We believe that proper respect for Te Ao Māori is shown by giving the Te Reo name primacy.”
Amongst the ten parks bearing sole Māori names, Te Kakau (Sunvue Park) has been selected as the site to receive a full suite of new bilingual signage and an interpretative text telling the story of the new Māori name.
In June 2021, the Waitākere Ranges Local Board adopted 19 Māori names for parks and reserves as Te Kete Rukuruku Tranche One. In February 2022, the local board invited Te Kawerau ā Maki to name a further 20 sites and two libraries as tranche two.
Māori names adopted as sole names replacing the existing English names for ten parks in tranche two of Te Kete Rukuruku as detailed in table one below:
Table one
|
Māori Name |
Existing name |
Street |
Suburb |
|
Kanorau |
Daffodil Scenic Reserve |
Daffodil Street |
Titirangi |
|
Tūtohu |
Glen Close Reserve |
Glen Close |
Glen Eden |
|
Kīkītara |
Levy Reserve |
Levy Road |
Glen Eden |
|
Mauku |
Onedin Green |
Onedin Place |
Titirangi |
|
Mīharo |
Shah Park |
Shah Place |
Glen Eden |
|
Nīoreore |
South Titirangi Rec Reserve |
South Titirangi Road |
Titirangi |
|
Te Kakau |
Sunvue Park |
Sunvue Road |
Glen Eden |
|
Kōmuri |
Woodfern Reserve |
Woodfern Crescent |
Titirangi |
|
Kāhui Whetū |
Woodglen Road Reserve |
Woodglen Road |
Glen Eden |
|
Pūrua |
Woodside Glen |
Woodfern Crescent |
Titirangi |
Māori names adopted as dual names for nine parks and two libraries in tranche two of Te Kete Rukuruku as detailed in table two below:
Table two
|
Māori Name |
Existing name |
Street |
Suburb |
|
Ahoaho |
Annison Green |
Annison Avenue |
Glen Eden |
|
Akaaka |
Clarence Reserve |
Chamari Close |
Titirangi |
|
Huihui |
Glen Eden Picnic Ground |
Glendale Road |
Glen Eden |
|
Kuranga |
Lopdell Plantation Reserve |
South Titirangi Road |
Titirangi |
|
Tautoru |
Maywood Reserve |
Maywood Crescent |
Glen Eden |
|
Whetū |
Milan Reserve |
Milan Drive |
Glen Eden |
|
Tairoa |
Nicolas Reserve |
Nicolas Avenue |
Glen Eden |
|
Uru |
Westview Reserve |
Janet Clews Place |
Glen Eden |
|
Pānaki |
Withers Reserve |
Withers Road |
Glen Eden |
|
Te Pātaka Kōrero o Ōkaurirahi |
Glen Eden Library |
Glendale Road |
Glen Eden |
|
Te Pātaka Kōrero o Titirangi |
Titirangi Library |
South Titirangi Road |
Titirangi |
About the Te Kete Rukuruku programme
In 2017 Auckland Council launched the Te Kete Rukuruku (TKR) project, a culture and 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.
One component of this is a naming project which will see iwi and hapu names restored. In some cases, these names existed prior to the current names, such as Ōkaurirahi. In other cases they may be more contemporary names that reflect an historical activity of the area prior to European settlement or sometimes have an environmental connection.
Short narratives explaining the significance of the names are also provided by mana whenua that explain the meaning and show the connection to the place being named.
This is one way for local communities to learn about their Māori history, language and culture. It provides a way of protecting and returning the names and the rich mana whenua stories of Auckland – some of which have been lost over many years.
Find out more about Te Kete Rukuruku.
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