Five Auckland regional parks have received Māori names and narratives, in a bid to to strengthen the cultural identity of Tāmaki Makaurau and reconnect some of Auckland’s most well-known landscapes with their ancestral stories.
Mana whenua have shared ancestral names for Long Bay, Shakespear and Wenderholm regional parks, a new Māori name has been provided for Ambury Regional Park highlighting an important cultural narrative, and the full name for Ōmana Regional Park will be restored to acknowledge its ancestral origins.
Auckland Council’s Community Committee formally adopted the names, which will sit alongside existing English names at four sites, helping to recognise and preserve both Māori and European histories for future generations.
Committee chair, Councillor Julie Fairey says the new names are an important step in acknowledging the 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,” she said.
The pathway to adopting each te reo name dates back to November 2021, when decision-makers first agreed to invite mana whenua to provide names for our regional parks as part of the Te Kete Rukuruku programme.
Councillor Alf Filipaina, who chaired the committee that initiated the naming process, says 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,” he said.
Robin Taua-Gordon, Pou Tangata from Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust, has 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 says the names reflect the rich identity of Tāmaki Makaurau and the many histories that shape 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,” he said.
“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.
The Council says further dual naming discussions are underway with mana whenua on te reo Māori names and narratives for more parks across the region.
What do the newly adopted names mean?
Te Ara i Tautahi / Ambury Regional Park
In keeping with Ambury Regional Park’s role as Auckland’s largest urban farm, the name Te Ara i Tautahi refers to the celestial pathway used by Waiohua ancestors to guide seasonal planting. When Tautahi (Sirius) shone brightest in the night sky it signalled the time to plant kūmara and other crops, and so this name connects the park’s modern farming role with longstanding traditions of cultivation and food production.
Te Hāruhi / Shakespear Regional Park
Te Hāruhi, meaning “the weak or feeble breath”, reflects the sheltered bay and fertile landscape here that supported generations of Māori occupation at Whangaparāoa. Protected from the westerly wind, the area provided a safe landing place for waka and also ideal soil and climatic conditions for growing kūmara, taro, yams and gourds, making it an important centre of food production. The ancient pā near Shakespear Homestead was built to protect pits which stored the year’s kūmara harvests throughout the winter months.
Te Oneroa ō Kahu / Long Bay Regional Park
The name Te Oneroa ō Kahu honours Kahu, the granddaughter of Maki. Following significant battles at Whakarewatoto (Long Bay) and nearby Karepiro in the early 1600s, Maki and his whānau settled in the area. His descendants, including his granddaughter Kahu and her hapū, subsequently occupied the lands between Maungauika / North Head and Ōrewa, which came to be known as Te Whenua Roa o Kahu – the extensive lands of Kahu.
Maungatauhoro / Wenderholm Regional Park
Maungatauhoro restores a traditional Māori name to Wenderholm Regional Park. It refers to the southern forested section of this landscape, alongside Te Akeake, the name for the flat sandy lands to the north. With nearly a thousand years of human history, this area formed part of the historical Ngāti Rongo landscape. The land was granted to Te Hemara Tauhia in the mid-1800s. Maungatauhoro is part of a wider cultural landscape that holds significance today for many iwi who connect to its long and varied history through both whakapapa and occupation.
Ō Manawatere Regional Park – previously Ōmana Regional Park
Ō Manawatere restores the full name of Manawatere, an ancient Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki tupuna (ancestor) who journeyed from Hawaiki and explored much of eastern Tāmaki Makaurau. His travels, settlements and descendants are woven throughout the history of the region. Over time the original name was shortened to Ōmana, and the restoration of Ō Manawatere (the place of Manawatere) reconnects the landscape with its full ancestral story.
