“This puts right, in a small way, the wrongs of the past,” says Lady Tureiti Moxon. Photo / Leon Menzies
“This puts right, in a small way, the wrongs of the past,” says Lady Tureiti Moxon. Photo / Leon Menzies
The official renaming of a Hamilton street and a local park from old colonial militia names to ones gifted by mana whenua is a historical reset and symbolic redress for the historical confiscation of lands.
Ahead of this morning’s blessing ceremony, many non-Māori and Māori alike say it is aheartening “first” for the city. Von Tempsky St and neighbouring Dawson Park disappear - replaced by Puutikitiki St and Te Wehenga Park.
“This puts right, in a small way, the wrongs of the past,” says Lady Tureiti Moxon, who is managing director of Te Kōhao Health.
“It’s really important to have names that have meaning for the city. It’s an acknowledgement of over one million acres of land being confiscated in this Waikato region.”
People gathered at this morning's blessing for the renamed street. Photo / Supplied
One of the largest Māori health and Whānau Ora providers in Kirikiriroa/Hamilton, Te Kōhao Health supported the impassioned submission of local pharmacist Ian McMichael to the council lobbying for the name change.
“Kaumatua and fellow Waitangi Tribunal Hauora claimant Timi Maipi and I attended the Hamilton City Council meeting when Ian McMichael made his submission for the name change,” Lady Tureiti said. Te Kōhao Health operates a kaupapa Māori complex called Puutikitiki in the neighbourhood.
“A lot of the streets of Hamilton City have been given militia names – like Hamilton, Von Tempsky Street, Bryce Street, Grey Street, Victoria Street – all named after colonisers of the day.”
McMichael was fervent in his advocacy to correct history. He says the process of change has been a “team effort”.
“It is the right thing to do to change the name. It has been fantastic working with local iwi, Ngāti Wairere and Wiremu Puke, and the council staff. I am excited,” he says. “These are names which go back to the original inhabitants of the lands and allow their memories to be honoured.”
Lady Tureiti believes the more people who know and understand their history and the history of Waikato-Tainui, the better.
“At the end of the day, any change in place names must be signed off by the council. Therefore, they need to have a good understanding and knowledge of the history of this area and inform themselves so that changes can be made without engendering fear and distrust.”
Lady Tureiti Moxon at this morning's blessing. Photo / Supplied
In Eltham, Taranaki locals have been lobbying since 2020 to change Von Tempsky St in their rohe. Lady Tureiti hopes what’s happening in Kirikiriroa expedites changes across the motu.
“In the end, our council is really saying, ‘We do care about the history – we acknowledge it and want to put it right’, because street names are one way they can do that.
“Hamilton was named after Captain Hamilton, who never came here. This is about us understanding the wrongs of history.”
The blessing ceremony involved Mayor Paula Southgate, rangatira, mana whenua, Ian McMichael, Lady Tureiti Moxon, council staff and members of the community.
