Māngere-Ōtāhuhu (a local council board of Auckland) has adopted 21 new Māori place names, recognising the area's rich cultural heritage.

A ceremony at Te Taahuhu (Criterion Square), featuring waiata (songs) from Ōtāhuhu College and mana whenua, marked the occasion.

Mana whenua groups Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Tamaoho, and Te Ākitai Waiohua led the event, emphasising the significance of connecting to the area's Indigenous history.

Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board chair, Tauanu'u Nick Bakulich, said the ceremony "was a powerful event led by mana whenua, and it was a privilege for our board to participate".

"This initiative celebrates our Māori community and enriches the cultural fabric of our entire area, inviting everyone to connect with and appreciate our shared history," Mr Bakulich said.

The local board's work to honour Māori culture began in March 2019, when mana whenua were invited to provide Māori names for 123 parks across the area.

Sixty-two names were adopted in February 2021, and another 21 were finalised in June 2023.

Mr Bakulich highlighted the board's focus on ensuring the spaces reflect local history and culture.

"A key theme in our local board plan is Ō Tātou Wāhi, or our places, and key to that is letting mana whenua lead the way and actively promoting Māori names for parks, facilities, roads, and other public spaces," he said.

Mana whenua are currently working to name 27 more parks and three libraries across Māngere-Ōtāhuhu, continuing the partnership between iwi (tribes) and the board to ensure Māori names are represented throughout the area.

Some of the newly named sites include Te Taahuhu/Criterion Square and Kanae-a-tai/Church Street Foreshore Reserve.

Kanae-a-tai, meaning 'mullet on the tide' refers to the guardian taniwha Paneiraira, who feasted on mullet in the Tāmaki River.

Kukume/Wickman Way/Tennessee Reserve in Māngere was also named to acknowledge the historical significance of waka being hauled across the Pūkaki portage to the Tāmaki River.

These Māori names are intended to exist alongside their current English names, maintaining a dual-naming approach.

The names were provided by three iwi: Te Ākitai Waiohua, Ngāti Tamaoho, and Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua, ensuring that the local cultural heritage is properly reflected in the area.

This effort is part of the Te Kete Rukuruku programme, launched by Auckland Council in 2017.

The program works to restore traditional Māori place names across Auckland and share the unique stories of mana whenua.

It reflects a broader movement to reconnect areas with their Indigenous histories while ensuring these names and stories are preserved for future generations.