The first public māra hūpara has officially opened in the Far North, with hundreds turning out for the occasion at the Kerikeri Sports Complex this month.
The new play space represents years of collaboration between whānau, iwi, volunteers, local businesses and organisations - all working together to create a place that’s as much about connection and identity as it is about play.
“I am just so excited that we are finally here and able to see our whānau use and share this space,” said community project lead, Angela Barker.
“Originally, we were literally just trying to put in a couple of swings and slides, but what you can see around you is a true reflection of our community. It’s been built by many hands and so it’s so much more than a playground. It’s a māra hūpara, it’s a play space, it’s everything.”
Named Te Amo Pūtoro – the nurturing house of fun that holds fast to our explorations – features swings, seesaws and climbing frames, but unlike other playgrounds, it’s grounded in kōrero tuku iho of Ngāti Rēhia, including stories of Mataatua Waka and Kororipo Pā.
Ngāti Rēhia chairman Kipa Munro said he was proud to see their stories shared and celebrated in a space where whānau come together.
“A māra hūpara means there’s a Māori context to it all, we know straight away that there’s something special about the place. There’s the māra, the natural environment, and we’ve planted kōrero which connects us all to this place, whether you live here or are visiting," he said.
“It made us very proud to see it finally open. It’s the first in our rohe and hopefully there’s more that follow our lead.”
One young boy who travelled from Kaitāia for the opening shouted, “This is perfect!” from the top of the whirinaki.
When asked what he loved about it, he grinned and said, “The spinning chair,” which represents Kororipo, before adding “and because it’s Māori.”
‘Wouldn’t exist without community effort’
From its name to the design, landscaping, planting and artwork, Angela Barker read out a long list of people and businesses who made Te Amo Pūtoro possible.
It’s hard to believe that six years ago, the idea began while watching children jump off a shipping container - a moment that sparked a dream to build something safer and more meaningful for tamariki while waiting for their parents participating in weekly sports.
“There’s no way to put one contribution above the other,” Barker said.
“Some contributions may have had more value in terms of money, and others more time, but every contribution mattered.
“For example, the kōhanga did the artwork for our steppingstones, you can’t put a price on that. Every little piece helped get us here, and we couldn’t have done it without even one of those people, businesses or community groups.”
The project, she said, had strengthened relationships across the community.
“This project brought together groups who would have never come together for anything else. Personally, I’ve built lifelong friendships with Ngāti Rēhia, Healthy Families Far North and Vision Consulting. The love and dedication from everyone to create this place just blows me away.”
Systems and strategic lead at Healthy Families Far North, Rachel Smith, echoed Barker’s reflections on collaboration, saying the project worked because every partner, including the Far North District Council, played their part in enabling community leadership.
“One of the best things that happened in this kaupapa is that Council got in on our working group. They were part of the collective,” Smith said.
“Council played a really epic role in getting out of the way and recognising this was community-led, but at the same time being alongside us as an enabler - the organisation that could unlock things to help make it happen.”
“It’s just been this huge collective effort of fundraising and mahi tahi together to get it done.”
Te Amo Pūtoro is more than a play space, it’s an investment in community wellbeing, she added.
“When you build a playground, you build a space for people to be active, for tamariki to connect and play - and when whānau are active, they’re healthier long-term.”
“But when you build a māra hūpara and embed pūrākau of the place, you enable connection and belonging. That increases participation, mental health and movement, and decreases chronic illness. You’re building a legacy for your mokopuna, making sure they’re healthier long-term.”
Newly re-elected Far North Mayor Moko Tepania who attended on the day said it was beautiful to see the hapori turn out for such a special occasion.
“Today we’re celebrating with Te Kerikeri, with Ngāti Rēhia and with our community here who have created this beautiful māra hūpara, Te Amo Pūtoro. I’m certain this will be a place where everyone has lots of fun but can learn about why this place is so special to us too.”
Te Amo Pūtoro marks more than the opening of a new play space, it signals a shift in how we think about designing for wellbeing. When communities lead and mātauranga Māori is honoured as a design framework, we see outcomes that reach far beyond play. These spaces restore connection to whenua, strengthen identity, and invite a deeper kind of learning - one that grows healthier, more connected communities.