I flew over 7,000 miles of Pacific Ocean to reach Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city. Arriving after two calendar days of travel, I was grateful to trade my economy-plus seat for a comfortable bed in a cell-like room in my modest hotel. Set on a narrow isthmus tightly gripped by the ocean, I would never be far from the Pacific, its deep waters or its volcanic Ring of Fire anywhere in Auckland or New Zealand.
Auckland, The City of Sails, has been a magnet for arrivals. Long before the first European settlers (mostly English) populated NZ in the late 18th century, the Māori people knew it as Tāmaki Makaurau. This translates roughly to “Tāmaki of a hundred lovers” also translated as “Tāmaki desired by many.” Assuming there were no volcanic eruptions at the time, it’s easy to see why the Auckland area was so desirable: two harbours (Waitematā to the east and Manukau on the west), a mild climate, and a completely natural environment. When the Maori first arrived around 1350 AD they were the first humans (and only the second mammal species) to set foot on Aotearoa, The Land of the Long White Cloud. It was virgin land, untouched by civilization.
NZ is recognised world-wide as a beautiful country and most travellers pass through Auckland quickly. That is a missed opportunity. Auckland is blessed with lovely parks. This is probably owed to the Auckland Volcanic Field. Young at about 250,000 years, this volcanic field is comprised of more than 50 volcanoes. The last time one erupted was 600 years ago when Rangitoto Island popped up in Hauraki Harbour. Western Park offers a glimpse into the topography that compelled the Maori to stay when they first arrived from thousands of miles away. Verdant, dense with trees and plants such as the emblematic Silver Ferm, the park is basically two merging gullies. The result is steep paths and wide vistas. Although Europeans introduced many new tree species here and throughout NZ, the park allows you to imagine how the landscape might have appeared to the first set of human eyes to behold it.
Walking around Auckland I found myself thinking of Singapore. The combination of skyscrapers and colonial buildings surrounded by ocean provided two pleasant parallels. Auckland is also a very Asian city, more Asians as a percentage than anywhere else in NZ. About 40% of Auckland’s population is foreign-born, and they are largely from Asian countries. On my hotel’s street alone you will pass a Korean BBQ joint, a sushi restaurant, a Taiwanese bubble tea store, and a Vietnamese pho stand. Auckland is also home to the largest Polynesian population of any city on earth,
New Zealand gets its English name from Abel Tasman who named the North Island after the Dutch province of Zeeland in 16. Auckland, now a city of 1.6 million, one third of all New Zealanders, was named by William Hobson. He chose the spot for New Zealand’s capital following a grant by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the local iwi (tribe). Hobson honored his patron, George Eden, the Earl of Auckland.
Names and language are powerful here. It won’t take a visitor long to see that NZ is officially bilingual. You will see Maori and English on signs. There are indigenous news and entertainment stations too. Te Tōangaroa, an area which includes Spark Arena and The Strand Railway Station, is in the process of having its original Māori name officially restored. The Waterfront’s Maori name is also being restored. To Te Tōangaroa, ”the dragging of waka (canoe) a long way to the shoreline.” The name encapsulates centuries of Māori maritime exploration in a single phrase.
The name changes are part of a larger project called Te Kete Rukuruku, which aims to collect and share the stories unique to Māori in Auckland. It’s a collaborative effort between iwi (tribes) and the Auckland Council, working to resurface the unique iwi identity of the region. This program is repeated throughout NZ.
It might be better to say that NZ is making a concerted effort to become bi-cultural. Long neglected, Maori culture is being given at least ceremonial pride of place. More impactful to the visitor, are the efforts to incorporate Maori cultural forms and symbols into everyday life. The no o Tāmaki — Auckland Gallery, may offer the city’s best architectural example of blending the Maori and the European, the colonial and the modern. It is a work of art in itself, blending a 19th-century French chateau style with a modern timber and glass atrium. The original part of the building (now undergoing an extensive renovation), dates to 1887. It stands alongside a stunning contemporary extension. The Gallery — which is free- contains a collection of over 18,000 artworks. The portraits of Maori leaders by Charles Goldie is a treasure. The gallery’s architecture
Lest We Forget: Auckland War Memorial Museum
Auckland War Memorial Museum is perched atop the dormant volcano, Pukekawa, in the Auckland Domain, another wonderful park and a fitting name for a natural retreat in a city of one million souls. The Museum looms over the Domain. It an impressive neoclassical building that would be at home on the Washington, DC Mall. It is also sort of a museum of everything, combining art with natural history. It is also a cenotaph. Built in 19>> it memorialises New Zealand’s war dead. Far from the fighting in the Great War, about 25% of NZ men at the time fought in Europe. On the Museum’s upper floor you will come across a simple, dignified memorial to those who fell, primarily in Europe. I came across memorials in every town. The First World War is present today in Auckland and throughout New Zealand, in both the physical and culture landscape.
On my long flight over I had read Richard Powers’ novel Playground. Much of it takes place on a small Pacific Island and also within the ocean itself. It made me appreciate the fact that while 13 hours flying over the ocean might give the impression of emptiness, the Pacific is teeming with life. The novel is also full of admiration for the Polynesian people, especially their navigational genius and explorer daring. With this in mind, I was drawn to the Māori galleries. Most Maori artwork are carvings in wood or greenstone. Weaving too was important. The Maori had no fabric and no metal yet they could fashion sails and build large structures. Their artworks are not only beautiful, each piece tells a story about creation of the world, the gods, tribal and family genealogies, battles with other kiwi, or the encounter with Europeans.
The museum’s volcanic exhibit was also interesting, offering insights into the geological forces that have shaped Auckland. You can sit in a reproduced Auckland living room and experience a volcanic eruption, complete with “breaking news” reports. We queued to enter. And then waited for something to happen; the tension building and maybe purposefully to make us think of the enormous tension built along the edges of the Pacific and Australian-Indian tectonic plates that runs through NZ.
Karangahape Road: Auckland’s Bohemian Heart
The next day I walked Karangahape Road, affectionately known to locals as “K Road.” It’s vibrant, a melting pot of cultures and subcultures with a colorful history. Once a main thoroughfare for Māori traveling between the Waitematā and Manukau harbors, it later became a bustling shopping district in the early 20th century[5]. By the 1960s and 70s, it had transformed into a red-light district and hub for alternative culture.
Devonport: A Step Back in Time
The next morning, I took the ferry from downtown Auckland to Devonport. The short journey across the Waitemata Harbour offers views of the city skyline and the volcanic cone of Rangitoto Island, Auckland’s youngest and largest volcano.
Devonport is a step back in time. Its well-preserved Victorian architecture and quaint village atmosphere make it a worthwhile. I and my two American friends spent the morning following the self-guided harbor tour. While finding the flagpole was a challenge, we enjoyed the history lesson behind each structure. The tour ends at Torpedo Bay Navy Museum. There the emphasis was more on New Zealand’s involvement in World War II. We decided to climb North Head, a volcanic cone. The reward was a panoramic views of the Hauraki Gulf and Auckland’s skyline. The summit is also home to a network of military tunnels and gun emplacements, a reminder of the strategic importance of this location during times of war.
Auckland’s diversity goes beyond just its people. It’s a city of geological diversity too, built on a volcanic field that has shaped its history, culture, and economy. From the volcanic cones that dot the cityscape to the twin harbors that cradle it, Auckland’s geography is as varied as its population. Auckland’s ancient volcanoes provide the foundation for gleaming skyscrapers, centuries-old Māori traditions, new innovation centres for digital technology, and, as always a safe harbor from the wide, wide ocean beyond.