As the nights grow longer, the city lights up for Matariki.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland Council are pleased to present Tūhono - an immersive ara toi (art trail) celebrating Matariki through light, storytelling and contemporary Māori design. Meaning “to tie together”, Tūhono connects to existing light works Tūrama (located on Queen Street) and Taurima (Elliott Street) to form a 2km indigenous, immersive light trail.
Stretching from Te Kōmititanga at the mouth of the Waihorotiu Valley, through Britomart and along the downtown waterfront into Te Tōangaroa, the first tangata whenua urban precinct, Tūhono connects a series of significant cultural city through light, sound and visual narrative.
Created by a collective of young Ngāti Whātua ringa toi (artists) - Arama Tamariki-Enua, Caine Taihia, Uira Nahi and Maraea Shaw in collaboration with Angus Muir Designs - the trail draws inspiration from the symbolism and journeys of waka and explores ideas of movement, gathering and history across generations.
Artist Aramu Tamariki-Enua says Tūhono is an invitation to move through the city with a deeper sense of connection.
“At its heart, Tūhono is about bringing our stories, our people and our places together through art and light. Matariki is a time to reflect on where we have come from, to gather with one another and to look ahead. This trail carries those ideas through the city, connecting ancestral waka and journey narratives with contemporary Māori design in a way that invites everyone to experience Tāmaki Makaurau through a tangata whenua lens.”
The trail is designed as a journey following the line of the Waihorotiu Valley and the downtown waterfront, linking key sites of cultural significance and contemporary Māori art across Tāmaki Makaurau.
Together, these works form Tūhono - the world’s longest indigenous art trail.
Event Details
Tūhono Light Trail
Be among the first to experience Tūhono, an immersive light trail connecting Te Kōmititanga, Takutai Square, Beach Road and Māhuhu ki te Rangi Park. Gather your whānau and friends and discover a new way to experience the heart of the city after dark.
When: Opens Saturday 27 June with a launch and is on every night until mid-July
Where: Te Kōmititanga, walking to Māhuhu ki te Rangi Park.
