December 08, 2021
Original names sought for Auckland parks
Auckland Council is asking mana whenua to come up with Māori names for six regional parks.
As part of its Te Peke Rukuruku cultural identity programme, Ambury, Glenfern, Long Bay, Shakespear, Wenderholm will have dual Māori-English names while Ōmana Regional Park west of Maraetai will have its full name restored.
Mayor Phil Goff says it’s a way to recognise the long history of mana whenua in Tāmaki Makaurau.
“A whole lot of our parks have of course one name and it’s a Māori name and those names have endured. Others have developed other names but we felt it appropriate we connect areas with their history and not only do we put the Māori name in a place that is determined by mana whenua but we tell a little about the history of the area,” he says.