On behalf of the Hawkins Tauranga Moana Courthouse Project Team:
At our shared kai today, our team reflected on the importance of Te Reo Māori in the Tauranga Moana Courthouse project and how we can support its integration into our mahi. By embedding Te Reo and Māori culture into the design and construction of this courthouse, we aim to ensure that future generations inherit not just buildings, but cultural legacies, helping all New Zealanders form a deeper connection to the land and its stories.
The whenua where the courthouse is being built holds cultural layers that may include Māori features such as kūmara pits, middens, and koiwi, possibly associated with Taumatakahawai Pā, as well as remnants from the British military occupation of the Te Papa Peninsula.
In June, during Matariki, and in alignment with Te Horonga principles of peace and renewal, our team buried a mauri stone sourced from the landing site of waka at Mount Maunganui. This act was a gesture of connection to the whakapapa of local hapū and Māori residents. The stone was placed near the outline and post holes of a former whare, symbolising protection of the mauri of the area and marking a new beginning at dawn.
The Tauranga Moana Courthouse is the second in Aotearoa to adopt Te Horonga principles, promoting peace and wellbeing. A water feature at the courthouse entrance will allow visitors to wash away the waru before entering, a symbolic act of cleansing and transition.
Also incorporated into the design is a waharoa, serving as a gateway into the physical building and into a culturally grounded justice experience. The waharoa will reflect traditions of carving, weaving, and storytelling, featuring ancestral motifs, manaia, and local tohu that honour the identity and mana of Tauranga Moana.
The façade of the building will feature a cloak and feathers design. The cloak, a taonga, embodies mana and whakapapa, and is a symbol of leadership, protection, honour, and connection to ancestors.
Our team is proud to be part of a project that weaves these values into its foundation. We hope that when this capsule is opened in the future, these principles will not be forgotten, but will continue to be woven into new infrastructure, signalling inclusion, respect, and empowerment of Māori communities.
