There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums with feeling. A place that is special. Not only that, but I find it hard to imagine you could find something anywhere else like it in the world, let alone the rest of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland – at least for now!
The sounds of water, trickling and rushing, are accompanied by a choir of birdsong, gracing your ears while instruments reverberate inside. As you step from the wooden walkways and enter the concrete grove that now nestles under Mayoral Drive, sculptures made of chainlink dangle from the ceiling, wind causing them to flow like a stream. Lights shift from blue, red, purple, white, amplifying the movements of the links but also soothing the mind as you journey through. Engraved concrete underfoot, and green vines to your side.
This place is Waimahara, an art installation that has been a decade in the making.
Waimahara envelops you in a multi-sensory embrace. It’s as if the waters and nature of the past returns, and I’ve often found myself leaning on one of the detailed concrete slopes, closing my eyes and being brought back to memories of resting by a stream during a hike. Or bushwalking as a kid. In such a incredible and unique way, it connects you with the very heart of nature, even though it sits in an underpass with cars and vehicles trundling and rumbling above, and a grey and barren expanse of Greys Avenue car park tars one entry point, or city life slowly makes its mark with graffiti and rubbish. Yet despite that, you cannot help but be transported away.
If it was only that, as it has been since its initial opening in December 2023, then it would still be a jewel in our city. But its also so much more. As much as it passively changes as you move within, its second part was recently finished and opened on June 27th, with what makes this a truly awe inspiring work of art and a world first (but hopefully not world last) place. Because if you learn and sing two especially crafted waiata, the entire soundscape and lightscape will follow along with you, and ripple with a tremendous torrent of energy and emotion and soul. Where have you ever seen or heard that before?
Waimahara was created by lead artist Graeme Tipene (with many others), who have brought nature, technology, and art into a beautiful symbiosis. And as much as it is art, it is also practical and incorporates flood mitigation, native trees, and a wetland garden for climate resilience.
As for the waiata, they were composed by Moeahi Kerehoma, Taru mai-i-Tawhiti Kerehoma-Hoani, and Tuirina Wehi. The waiata speak to the importance of water in te ao Māori, linking back to the meaning of Waimahara, a rememberence of water, and connecting to Te Waihorotiu, the stream which once ran openly but was undergrounded with the urbanisation of the City Centre.
I was lucky enough to be there on this opening, only a short jaunt from Matariki celebrations on K’Road, and I can truly say the experience of watching and hearing the waiata and the lights and the matching soundscape of Waimahara ingrained itself inside of me. It was magical and tremendous. It was a sight to behold and a wonder to hear. It was knowing and remembering. Taking it all in, both calming and energising. Soothing and intense. I could probably keep going, but it was incredible! It has made me wish to learn the waiata, and sing them myself.
The thing is. Whenever I pass through I always stop just to listen for a little. I have come to it many times since December just to sit. And feel. As I said, I often think back to trickling streams on long hikes. But sometimes there’s torrents of thunderstorms and heavy rain. But the kind you are safely at home listening to it outside, pattering on the roof. Or I imagine what the waters must of been like rushing where I was. Because what this is, is a connection to nature. Its a connection to our memories. The memories of ourselves. The memories of our history. The memories of this land and its water. It is one more part of the reindigenisation of this city, and I cannot wait to see more things like it. Just because this is the first, does not mean awe inspiring Te Ao Māori places of art and nature like Waimahara should be the last.
In the meantime, there are two waiata for me (and you) to learn, to sing, experience, and to feel. I cannot thank Tipene and the composers and everyone who contributed over the years for creating such a place. It is irreplaceable.
Waimahara is truly something special… so where is next?
Cross-posted from Connor’s blog There’s No Place Like Auckland.
Ka rawe! Keen as to ride or take the bus into the city to see, experience and feel this taonga.
While the central city remains overrun with deros, thugs and the mentally deranged, this place remains effectively out of bounds for the general public.
What’s a dero? Genuine question.
It’s an especially nasty and cruel way to refer to homeless people. It’s short for “derelict”.
There is an interesting question as to why the political Right are invested in declaring central Auckland to be a lawless urine-stained wasteland like 1970s Manhattan, when actually city centre residents puzzle as to where they got this from. It’s probably a political attempt to delegitimize the votes of city dwellers, who tend to the liberal-Greenie.
I saw a man stabbed in Queen Street in 1984, later that year I saw a riot. But even then there weren’t people trying to intimidate others for no reason. Queen Street is a lot rougher now than it was then or at any time in my memory. I don’t go there unless I have to.
It also flies in the face of the fact that Central Auckland today is so much better than it was twenty years’ ago. More attractive, with so many more people in it. Can anyone coming here to complain really claim otherwise?
I’ve studied, lived and/or worked in the CBD for much of the last 33 years.
The city centre has deteriorated hugely over the last 6 years, not as bad as Manhattan, but its not great. Some of this has been the results of covid lockdowns, some of it CRL construction, and some as a result of the government – poor health and mental health system performance, going soft on crime, emptying jails, ignoring truancy, shifting police headquarters out of the CBD, housing aussie deportees in a hotel and public housing, and the destruction of the rockstar economy.
Queen St in the vicinity of Wellesley St, which used to be a busy place well into the small hours, is now desolate. These days there are no open bars or places selling food after 1am.
Take a look at the number of people sleeping under verandahs and in doorways.
And generally businesses are going broke and closing – not just Smith & Caugheys but many others too.
Much of the CBD is not safe at night any more, assaults and other criminal and antisocial behavior are regular, companies circulate warnings to employees.
Greys Ave is often unsafe during daylight hours, e.g. Statistics NZ closing.
Anyone who hasn’t noticed either doesn’t spend much time here or stays locked away in their apartment.
Completing the CRL will hopefully contribute so some reinvigoration.
You don’t have to be from the political right to see the degeneration of Auckland’s CBD over the years. Interestingly, most commentators lay this at the feet of the last – ostensibly – left wing government.
But yes, using one’s eyes and reporting what they’ve seen is most likely evidence of a spooky right-wing conspiracy.
Cruel?
Nah.
I lived in the CBD for several years, and can echo many who say it has gone downhill in recent years.
Hardly. Me and my 5 yo walk through there regularly to get to the playground. She loved the installation.
I’ve been through there plenty over the years before and after this change. I would say this underpass is now considerably safer and more accessible to the public – particularly at night – than the old set up narrow enclosed path with barbed wire fences around a car park.
For clarity I don’t consider myself a thug, derelict, etc.
But at what cost to ratepayers for an artwork in a place few people go? Including all the indirect/hidden costs it would have to be $millions, and there will be significant ongoing repairs and maintenance. I’ve lived in Akld for more than 40 years and walked through there maybe twice
We must remain miserable at all times and have no joy at all in our lives.
how long before its tagged or what will be the bill removing the tagging, vandalism but lets be pollyana and pretend it doenst happen and the council isnt in extreme debt, provides core services & infrastructure we need, this along with the ghost buses is wasteful spending
Imagine if the cost cutters ran the world. Truely sad place it would be.
If we had more of them delivering infrastructure, we may have gotten slightly more bang for our buck following, for instance, $228,000,000 of wasted spending on Auckland’s light rail debacle …
Maybe the reason you have only been through there a couple of times is because it was nothing more than a footpath under a road…
This will give people a reason to journey through this part of the city and learn about culture/history of Aotearoa
100%, how many Aucklanders will ever see this, meanwhile we are all paying 1.54 million dollars per day in interest on the council debt alone, its extravagant, we cant even get essential infrastructure in the part of auckland i live in
A quarter of a million Aucklanders visit the city centre each weekday. So about a quarter million at least.
reserve what I think until I know what the price tag is considering all of Auckland is paying for this extravaganza while also paying 1.54 MILLIO $$$ PER DAY IN INTEREST ON THE COUNCIL DEBT ALONE. Really do think council should be sticking to core services and not spending like a drunk sailor.
the rest of us are kind of sick of so much money being poured into the city centre on ‘ nice to have’ while outer areas dont even get core servcies
Let me correct that for you.
the rest of us are kind of sick of not having everyone agree on OUR view that 100% of council spend should be “core services”
Now let’s have two conversations; one to AGREE what defines “core services” and a second about the %age number
That would be more useful than just stating position and shouting at each other.
What core services don’t you get THOMAS, and which outer area are you in?
One reason the city centre gets good things is that the residents and businesses pay an extra targeted rate for them. Perhaps your area’s business group could advocate for a targeted rate to spend on your streets and parks too?
Let’s stop wasting money fixing potholes on rural roads that hardly anyone uses. Let’s stick to core services, stuff that makes the city more attractive for future private investment, not gold plated rural roads.
The little one loves it – today on the bike ride to Daycare she requested a ride through.
It’s an excellent upgrade to the underpass – just need to fix the final link to aotea square and the CRL station and we’ll be golden
It’s there, the money has been spent. To ensure Auckland & Aucklanders get value value for money go and see it, experience it and share with your friends. You can turn the tables on the view that it is a waste of money by using it. And while you’re on your pins in the city wander up to Albert Park and view all the statues erected in prior centuries with city funds when fountains and monuments to individuals was the thing.
It’s your city, its past, present and future. If you chose not to get out an enjoy it there’s so much you’ll miss. If we don’t invest in monuments to our time there is so much about us that future generations will miss.
Hear, hear. The posts above sound like the NZHerald Comment Grumpies. This artwork is there to enjoy. The car park is next up for reimagining, allowing an upgraded experience all the way from K Road to Aotea Square. Bring back this stream axis as a pleasant place to be and encourage care for the people who have gravitated to the ‘forgotten space’ in the past, to make life better for everyone.
A rather elaborate word soup of a post today!
Whilst Auckland ratepayers bleed through the nose, this unremarkable piece of “artwork” syphons off value funds to yet another pet project that only a small number of Aucklanders will ever see, even less will appreciate.
It’s the type of project that saw Wayne Brown elected to mayor to stop. It’s sad the other councilors and the beaureucrats who supposedly work for ratepayers can’t see that.
A classic case of taxing the poor for the benefit of the 1%ers
But someone else up there was saying the homeless and addicts will enjoy it. Or do you mean the bottom 1%ers?
“A classic case of taxing the poor for the benefit of the 1%er”
I think its actually the misery brigade who are the 1%. Always negative, always vocal. The books could be in record surplus and they would still object. Its who they are and what they do. What a miserable city we would have if we listened to them. I actually pity them and their world view (if they even have one).
Promote it, get people visiting it and more importantly, finish it (the link through to Aotea station). Much like the statues and sculptures of yesteryear, this will be another small part of the fabric of an improved city center.
This comments thread reads more like what I would expect on Facebook or the Herald, not GA.
We unexpectedly stumbled upon this while exploring Auckland City on scooters Sunday night just gone (21/07/2024) I heard the sound of Tui’s and followed it (I couldn’t believe there were Tui’s in Auckland Central City and I was wondering what they were doing up so late lol) – and wow what an experience, after we figured out how it worked it was like finding a hidden gem in the city – nga mihi nui to the creator and collaborators of this beautiful treasure! And we also found Michaelangelos’ Moses 🙂
(P.S for those folks too scared to venture around the city at night, I can say we had no trouble whatsoever with anyone while we were exploring, we even scootered up to Sky City and around Albert Park all between 10pm and 12am and I will never do the city any other way again)
I wonder what sort of world the austerity car-heads raging here want. grey concrete and black asphalt everywhere, it seems?
mind you, given how cagers correlate with elitists they’re probably banking on musk turning car windows into virtual reality screens so they can make-believe they’re on a country highway or going through the forested landscapes destroyed by motorway expansion and suburban sprawl.
I love it and so does my kid. We pass through it when we come down the ‘secret stairs’ from K Rd to the playground (oftentimes dropping in to Audio Foundation on the way) on our way to catch a fun-as double decker bus.
It’s ok to have fun in life, even if some of it is still hard.
Gosh, you’re all a bit of. miserable bunch up there in Auckland, aren’t you?
Visiting Auckland from Wellington last week, I thought that it was all rather good. Took the train in from Puhinui, perfectly well-behaved school kids, no issues with anyone on the train, which left and arrived on schedule. Got off in Britomart station and grabbed a scooter, rode the length of Queen St on your new scooterway, all looked very nice. Went in to Aotea Centre for my first ever visit there – confusing, badly designed building, but still well-maintained and clean and tidy.
Queen St – no issues, no dangerous people, no murderers on a rampage. Smith and Caughey closing down, but still had a nice (and expensive) sandwich. A few closed shop windows, a few homeless people, but nothing too different from what you will see in nearly every major city in the world. Nothing to get too wound up about.
In Auckland recently, went to visit this amazing taonga and it was such a great addition to the space. Honestly don’t get the talk about Queen St – Newmarket seemed worse to me, more empty shops, dark and uninviting. I remember when I moved to Auckland in 2002, there were fights on Queen st and the surrounding streets were super dodgy. Didn’t get that feeling at all this time.
Agreed. And there was tumbleweed down Queen Street after 9pm back then. Except on Friday & Saturday nights when there were modified exhaust drag races between the lights.
The only dangerous place between Aotea Square and Karang a hape is now the Basement Theatre’s carpark (a general carpark not the Basement’s fault). This new art is amazing, and for those of us who have kids, and love to K Road with and without them, it makes it a literal well lit walk in the park from top to bottom, and bottom to top.
If you feel unsafe still in this area, find a friend to walk with you. I am not a member of the dangerous folk, but there are just people like us, who have lived a far worse life than us, and if we feel unsafe amongst them, we are worse than them, for we are judging something that we can never understand.
Very cool art and fun for kids to play on too!
Person who hasn’t visited the City Centre for 10 years yells about how bad it is and any money spent on it is a waste.
Feels like a Bot fest today..
I went for a walk down here just a month ago with my wife to check it all out. She was too scared to go through the underpass due to the characters that had decided to set up camp. I didn’t blame her and we detoured back onto Queen Street.