A hidden gem in central Tāmaki Makaurau is gaining fresh attention, as locals and visitors are encouraged to discover the striking murals—celebrating the history and stories of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei—tucked away in a lesser-known laneway within Te Tōangaroa, the city’s first urban tangata whenua precinct.
Dockside Lane, located across from the Woolworths supermarket on the corner of Quay and Tangihua Streets, features a range of stunning artworks. Among them is Te Pou Takiri ki Tua by Te Whetū Collective, recently singled out as a must-see, and notable for being the final mural completed along the lane.
“Check out one of the stunning murals that bring Te Tōangaroa to life,” the precinct posted on social media last week.
Created by Te Whetū Collective’s Hana Maihi (Ngā Oho, Te Uringutu, Te Taoū) and Poihakena Ngāwati (Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Tainui), the artwork depicts a waharoa or entranceway.
Last year, the precinct offered further insight into the mural’s story and symbolism.
“In the context of the murals down the laneway, it also tells the story of the journey of a waka, traversing the ocean, the bailer of a waka, being guided by the kāhu pōkere (juvenile harrier hawk) towards Tāmaki, and being decommissioned and repurposed as a waharoa.”
When the artists - known as @h_i_n_e_x and @techs_x - first took on the challenge to help “liven up” Te Tōangaroa, Maihi shared the deeper purpose behind their work.
“It’s important that we have a visual footprint as Māori, as iwi and hapū, as a reminder of the richness of our culture that we can always return to.”
