A Māori name has been generously gifted to Sister Rene Shadbolt Park in the Whau, marked with a small celebration to share the meaning and significance of the name.
Tiakina was gifted by local iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki, creating the dual name of Tiakina / Sister Rene Shadbolt Park. The park sits at the junction of New Lynn, Blockhouse Bay and Green Bay.
Auckland Council is committed for te reo Māori to be seen, heard, spoken and learnt in our public places. This is facilitated by the Māori naming and storytelling programme, Te Kete Rukuruku.
Bilingual signage has been installed in the park, including one that outlines the meaning of the name and its local significance.
It has been four years since Whau’s Tahurangi / Crum Park in Green Bay was celebrated as the first park in Tāmaki Makaurau to have a dual name adopted through the programme.
Whau Local Board Chair Kay Thomas is delighted with the name.
“We are honoured to receive a name for one of our major parks which reflects a kaupapa that is central to our work as a board, as well as honouring the namesake of the park.
“None of this would have been possible without many hours of research by Robyn Taua-Gordon and the support of Te Kawerau ā Maki. I wish to thank and acknowledge their enthusiasm for the Te Kete Rukuruku programme.
“Te Kete Rukuruku is a vital contributor to increasing use and familiarity of te Reo within our communities.
“As the first board to have adopted a dual park name under Te Kete Rukuruku, we are committed to continuing to work with mana whenua with meaningful engagement on shared goals.”
Members of Whau Local Board and Te Kawerau ā Maki.
The story of Tiakina
Tiakina means to look after, care, protect and conserve and can relate to whenua (land), taiao (environment) and tāngata (people).
Sister Renee Shadbolt (1903-1977) was a New Zealand nurse who served in the Spanish Civil War. She demonstrated her kaitiakitanga (care) for people in her work as a nurse, a humanitarian and an activist, across Europe and back home in Aotearoa.
The name Tiakina remembers the mahi (work) of Sister Rene Shadbolt as well as the Māori nurses that went to war.
Te Kawerau ā Maki are kaitiaki (guardians) of the whenua who protect whenua, taiao and tāngata as their tupuna (ancestors) have done before.
Te Kawerau ā Maki work with the Department of Conservation, Auckland Council and New Zealand’s kauri protection agency (who are called Tiakina Kauri) to protect our precious kauri trees. Seen by Māori as a general indicator of the wellbeing of the ngahere (forest) and of the people, we encourage and support others to access resources and information to help protect this forest giant.
You can tiakina Tiakina by:
-
Taking your rubbish home
-
Reduce, reuse and recycle
-
Be nice to each other
“Tiakina Te Wao nui a Tiriwa, he oranga mou” - Look after and treasure the great forest of Tiriwa.
Stay up to date
Sign up for the Whau Local Board E-news to get the latest news and events direct to your inbox each month, and follow us on Facebook.
