Culturally offensive park in Cannons Creek gifted new name by Ngāti Toa

The recently renamed Matahourua Park. Photo / Google Maps

Calliope Park in Cannons Creek will be renamed Matahourua Park at the request of Ngāti Toa.

The renaming will be in line with the April renaming of Calliope Crescent to Matahourua Crescent – the name was gifted by Ngāti Toa to better reflect the history and heritage of people living in Porirua.

Ngāti Toa advised the Porirua City Council the name Calliope is culturally insensitive, as it is the name of the 26-gun frigate which held Te Rauparaha - Ngāti Toa's chief – captive without charge for 18-24 months.

Due to this historic relationship, the name Calliope, currently used for the park, is not respectful to Ngāti Toa.

The new name, Matahourua is the name of the waka that Kupe used when he discovered Aotearoa.

The recommendation to proceed with the renaming was made at a meeting of the council's Te Puna Kōrero Committee yesterday. The reason it comes months after renaming the Crescent is that renaming a park is a different process, needing wider consultation.

The council received 12 submissions about the park - five in support and seven against.

Chief executive Wendy Walker said that some submitters suggested alternative names for the park, and that these would be kept as options to consider when other new things are named around the city.

She said name changes were not made lightly, and that Ngāti Toa had advised that Calliope was their top priority for change.