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Creating cultural legacy in public space design
The CRL team want to leave a positive cultural legacy for Tāmaki Makaurau.
Mana Whenua and the CRL project
Mana Whenua means the indigenous people (Māori) who have historic and territorial rights over the land. In 2012, CRL approached iwi and hapū (Māori tribal groups) who have these rights in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland to see if they wanted to be involved. From there, a Mana Whenua forum was started. Its members are:
- Te Ākitai Waiohua
- Ngāi Tai ki Tamaki
- Te Kawerau a maki
- Ngāti Tamaoho
- Ngāti Maru
- Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei
- Ngāti Paoa
- Ngāti Te Ata
The forum is involved in many parts of the CRL project. A big part of their kaupapa is to ensure the mahi will be good for the wellbeing of the people and the place.
Design
Beyond its function as a transport system, there is potential for the CRL to be the largest public art project in Aotearoa New Zealand and a powerful expression of identity, culture, history, and landscape.
An example of a part of the project which Mana Whenua plays a key role is design. Iwi stories and cultural landmarks have influenced the station designs. This can be seen in both the internal structure and the external appearance, as well as their names.
The Māori creation story has influenced the CRL station entrances, each telling the story of Ranginui, the sky father, and Papatūānuku, the earth mother. Their close embrace was separated by their son, Tāne Mahuta, who in pushing them apart to bring light (Te Whaiao) into the world and, the state of creation into being (Te Ao Marama).
Each station entrance emphasises, through the architecture and materials, the relationship between solid earth on the ground and the sky above the entrance. The entrances express the deity identified for each location, representing the unique identity of the station.
Check out this virtual station slideshow!
Kaitiakitanga
Kaitiakitanga means guardianship and protection. It includes:
- protecting, restoring, enhancing the mauri of te Ao Māori
- fulfilling spiritual, emotional, and inherited responsibilities to the environment
- maintaining mana over te taiao
- ensuring the welfare of the people.
In Tāmaki Makaurau it is Mana Whenua who are Kaitiaki. Mana Whenua exercise kaitiakitanga within the CRL by having input into construction, staff inductions, cultural monitoring on site, and a monthly walkover of the project area.
The CRL project is aiming for high levels of sustainability which cover the four well-beings: environmental, cultural, social, and economic. These sustainability elements align with and support kaitiakitanga.
Try the Creating cultural legacy in public space design quiz.
More about the Mana Whenua partnership
Mana Whenua
Read more about the Mana Whenua relationship and the CRL project.