Playground celebrates Maori stories

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ROTORUA MAYOR STEVE CHADWICK INTERVIEW

Rotorua Lakes Council and its partner Te Tatau o Te Arawa are turning the playground in Rotorua’s Government Gardens into a bilingual Maori language zone.

Te Tatau chair Te Taru White says the park sits in an area known as Paepaehakumanu or the place of bird-snares.

As well as being a place where Ngati Whakaue would set snares of flax and cabbage tree fibre loops, it’s also part of Tawharakurupeti, the site of a major battle between Ngati Whakaue and Tuwharetoa about 200 years ago.

Park goers will be encouraged to use te reo Maori, and bilingual signage and interactive games will be peppered across the space.

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