auckland
A walk to the summit of Maungawhau is a highlight of any visit to Auckland , thanks to its impressive crater , which is said to be the home of Mataaho , the guardian of secrets hidden in the earth
To pair views with a drink , head to The Churchill , a gin bar located on the 20th floor of the Four Points by Sheraton Auckland hotel . Try locally made gins flavoured with New Zealand botanicals , like the Sandymount Distillery ’ s Ti Kouka Forest Gin , which showcases native produce such as kawakawa leaves , manuka honey and harakeke ( flax ) seeds . images : awl images
A traditional Maori waka boat at the Auckland War Memorial Museum
Above : Waitangi Treaty Grounds at Maori Meeting House
MAORI CULTURE
One of the more curious aspects of Auckland is its geography — it ’ s built on a volcanic field . A handful of cones are still visible scattered across the skyline . As well as providing lofty vantage points , these volcanic pinnacles — ‘ maunga ’ in the M aori language — hold a great deal of M aori history .
Before Europeans arrived , the maunga were the sites of fortified villages . The most impressive of these is Mount Eden / Maungawhau , which was one of the largest and most elaborate settlements of its type in New Zealand . A walk to the summit of Maungawhau is a highlight of any visit to Auckland , thanks to the impressive crater , which is said to be the home of Mataaho , the guardian of secrets hidden in the earth . The remnants of terracing for houses , food pits and ditches dug for defence are still visible . The Te Ipu Korero o Maungawhau /
spring 2024 • 79