Ngāti Wairere historian Wiremu Puke amongst the vehicles at Sonning car park – now a formal request to the city council has been lodged to change the name to Opoia Pā, to better reflect the land’s history. Kelly Hodel / Stuff
By Stephen Ward, Stuff
Hamilton hapū Ngāti Wairere has now lodged a formal application to change the name of the city council-owned Sonning car park to Opoia Pā to reflect the land's local Māori history.
Historian Wiremu Puke said Tuesday re-naming would be “a step forward in terms of restoring the mana of our hapū”, as well as recognising the legacy of historical pā chief Poukawa who signed the Treaty of Waitangi.
The name change has the support of Tukoroirangi Morgan, the chairperson of Waikato-Tainui’s executive board Te Arataura.
The Waikato Historical Society, the Guardians of Claudelands community group, and architect and heritage consultant Laura Kellaway have also provided letters of support for the change.
Waikato-Tainui’s Tukoroirangi Morgan is supporting Ngāti Wairere’s bid for a name change. Photo / Stuff
Morgan’s kōrero included in the application said: “The designated area for development is a waahi tapu or site of special significance for Ngāti Wairere. It is unacceptable to impose the name of an English village over any of our waahi tapu.”
Ngāti Wairere also says the name Sonning is already reflected in a building in Marama St, Hamilton. “It is the view of Ngāti Wairere that the current name of Sonning has no significant historical and cultural relevance to Kirikiriroa Hamilton.”
Waikato Historical Society president Neil Curgenven said: “We believe the name of Opoia Pā reflects the recognised history of the site and the ownership by Ngāti Wairere before the 1864 confiscation.”
Guardians chairperson Gordon Chesterman said: “This is a unique opportunity to name the site Opoia Pā and to recognise the direct links, through chief Poukawa, to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.”
Kellaway said re-naming in accordance with the hapū’s wishes would be “an important re-acknowledgment of the place and its traditional name”.
There’s been talk of the city council-owned land in the CBD being sold and developed for inner city housing. However, Foster Construction recently pulled out of that project, saying earlier this year that nothing had progressed due to Ngāti Wairere’s treaty claim over the site’s future.
Puke said Tuesday Ngāti Wairere was continuing with that claim.
He has previously called for the car park to be a green space and memorial to local Māori tūpuna (ancestors), saying the car park is on top of an old pā site and likely burial grounds.
Ngāti Wairere’s Wiremu Puke is advocating for the area to be a "green" site and memorial area. Kelly Hodel / Stuff
While renaming would be “a step forward” there was “still the matter regarding what the council’s plans are for the future”, he said.
Ideally, Puke would prefer a partnership with the council over a future reserve at Opoia.
After the Fosters pull out, the council said last month it was open to working with “other parties” on development options for the site but no other specific proposals were on the table.