Five Pou of Mana Whenua Forum

There are five pou – the pillars or principles – that the Mana Whenua Forum developed to clarify the outcomes it would like to see for iwi from the project. The five pou are Rangatiratanga, Whakapapa, Te Taiao, Oranga and Whai Rawa.

Each pou is equally important, and mana whenua aspirations can only be achieved when project activity is integrated across the five pou. There was discussion on a sixth pou (Wairua/Spiritual – mana whenua and the people of Tāmaki Makaurau are spiritually sustained and nourished) as wairua is intrinsically linked to all five pou.

Listed below are some of the key outcomes achieved by the Mana Whenua Forum under each of the five pou.

1. Rangatiratanga (Governance)

The CRL-Mana Whenua Forum partnership is a developing co-governance model for public and private engagement with iwi and other Māori representative bodies. The CRL Mana Whenua Forum Terms of Reference is the founding document of the partnership, which includes iwi visibility and input into the decision-making process at executive level. The relationship is one based on mutual respect and trust and has delivered significant outcomes in line with iwi expectations.

2. Whakapapa (Culture & Identity)

The designs for the new stations and precincts were shaped by narratives set by mana whenua artists and leaders in collaboration with CRL Ltd. The Forum has and continues to oversee development of the art and design elements (see below for more detail). The selected mana whenua artists had freedom to interpret the design briefs and have created place-specific narratives to create a unique and authentic design for each station. The cultural wellbeing of the project and workers has been an important activity, with karakia performed to bless workplaces and completed areas of works before they are given back to the community.

Gifting of te reo Māori station names

The Forum gifted te reo Māori names for the four CRL stations. The names align with the Forum’s role in helping develop the overarching themes influencing the final designs for three of the stations, which share the Māori creation story.

In May 2022, a joint proposal from CRL Ltd and Auckland Transport was submitted to the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa to officially adopt the following te reo Māori names:

• Maungawhau Station

• Karanga-a-Hape Station

• Te Waihorotiu Station

• Waitematā Station (Britomart)

The final designs relate to the new Maungawhau Station, Karanga-a-Hape Station and Te Waihorotiu Station. Waitematā Station (Britomart) reopened in 2021. The Te Komititanga public space in front of the station’s main entrance incorporates traditional designs and weaving patterns.

The names and the designs highlighted the successful collaboration that exists between the Mana Whenua Forum and the project.

Station Design

During the year, the Forum continued to oversee development of collaborative art and design elements for the stations and their precincts.

The station designs were shaped by narratives set by mana whenua and they also led the briefs for the collaborative elements. Selected mana whenua artists were free to interpret the briefs and come back with their ideas for review and discussion. The collaborative approach, within functional and material constraints, drove the process and shaped the final designs.

Artists interpreted the Māori creation kōrero and other place-specific narratives to create a distinctive design for each station. Façade designs have been developed in a way that is unique and authentic to the station locations and to Aotearoa.

The artists, design and fabrication teams have developed entrance threshold treatments for each station, along with other elements throughout the stations and their immediate precinct, to provide another layer to the narrative.

All these elements have been led by four amazing mana whenua artists working with Link Alliance design teams:

Graham Tipene (Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Manu, Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Hauā) on Te Waihorotiu Station; Reuben

Kirkwood (Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki) on Karanga-a-Hape Station ;

Tessa Harris (Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki) on Maungawhau Station ;

Dr Johnson Witehira (Ngāpuhi, Ngai Tū-te-auru, Tamahaki and Ngāti Hinekura) on the Kingston Street vent.