Māori names and stories returned to the whenua

Caryn Wilkinson Reporter from Community News

Names dating back to stories treasured by Māori are being returned to the whenua in parks across communities in the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board area.

The local board has adopted 18 names from mana whenua as part of the council’s cultural identity programme, Te Kete Rukuruku.

Names for another 32 parks are being determined.

The first of the names has now been revealed with the unveiling of signs bearing the new dual name Waenganui / Allenby Park in Papatoetoe.

“Our local board is incredibly honoured to receive and reinstate these taonga, the names and histories of mana whenua," said Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia.

“The distinct cultures in our local board area are our strength. Our community has told us that ensuring Māori arts, culture and history being more visible in public places is really important to them and this is a really simple but powerful way we can do that and something we will look after and treasure.”

Ngāti Tamaoho, who named the park, said the ceremony marked an important milestone.

"For Ngāti Tamaoho that is exciting because focussing on the whenua is something we have really pushed for over the years,” said Ngāti Tamaoho Charitable Trust chair Tori Ngataki.

The board chose Waenganui / Allenby Park to have a full suite of bilingual signs including a new entrance sign with the name Waenganui / Allenby Park, an interpretive sign with the narrative in te reo Māori and English, and a QR code allowing people to scan their phone to hear the correct pronunciation.

Information helping people to navigate will be displayed in English and Maori on public facilities around the park.

Regulatory signs such as bylaw and alcohol ban information will feature in English and te reo Maori.