Māori names restored to five Auckland regional parks

Five Auckland regional parks have had Māori names and narratives restored.

Mana whenua have shared ancestral names for Long Bay / Te Oneroa ō Kahu, Shakespear / Te Hāruhi and Wenderholm / Maungatauhoro regional parks.

A new Māori name has been provided for Ambury Regional Park, Te Ara i Tautahi, while the full name for Ōmana Regional Park will be restored to Ō Manawatere Regional Park.

Auckland Council's Community Committee formally adopted the names to sit alongside the existing English names at four of the sites.

Committee chair Councillor Julie Fairey said the new names are an important step in acknowledging our past and celebrating Māori heritage, a priority in both The Auckland Plan 2050 and Long-term Plan 2021-2031.

"Names matter and have power. Through partnerships with mana whenua, these names help to safeguard cultural knowledge, restore stories to the landscape, and strengthen connections to Tāmaki Makaurau. These additions and changes will help visitors to learn more about the cultural significance of the places that host our regional parks."

The pathway to adopting each reo Māori name dates back to November 2021, when decision-makers first agreed to invite mana whenua to provide names for regional parks as part of the Te Kete Rukuruku programme.

Councillor Alf Filipaina - who chaired the committee that initiated the naming process - said a lot of research, discussion and collaboration has taken place for iwi and the council to reach the stage where five names can officially be recognised.

"I'm so proud that we've reached this step. The names represent an important part of a bigger project to bring te reo Māori place names back into our everyday language across Tāmaki Makaurau. They follow the adoption of te reo for hundreds of local parks and I hope this marks the beginning for more regional parks to come. The names that mana whenua have gifted are a taonga (treasure) to be shared."

Robin Taua-Gordon, Pou Tangata from Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust, played an important role in sharing the narratives for Long Bay, Shakespear and Wenderholm.

"As Te Kawerau ā Maki, we honour the deep connection to whenua and acknowledge our history. These names have always existed for us, but the Te Kete Rukuruku kaupapa has enabled us to share some of the mātauranga tuku iho (ancestral knowledge) with all who come here."

Tumuaki Huanga Māori / Māori Outcomes Director Nicholas Turoa said the names reflected the rich identity of Tāmaki Makaurau and the many histories that shaped it.

"These names bring the stories of our places back into focus, strengthening the connection between whenua, whakapapa, and community. They recognise the deep Māori heritage of these sites, while also acknowledging the layers of history that have developed over time.

"This is about ensuring Aucklanders can see themselves in the places around them - and feel a stronger connection to the stories, names and identities that make up Tāmaki Makaurau today."

The five regional parks are the first to be named through Te Kete Rukuruku programme - a partnership between Auckland Council, local boards and mana whenua to collect, protect and share stories unique to ngā iwi o Tāmaki Makaurau.

Since 2017, when the programme started, 17 local boards have supported more than 580 local parks and public places across Auckland to receive original and contemporary Māori names.

Further dual naming discussions are underway with mana whenua on te reo Māori names and narratives for more parks across the region.