Manu-kau Noa IhoHayman Park
15R Davies Avenue, Manukau

Manu-kau Noa Iho

Ko te kōrero kei muri i te ingoa

Ko te tikanga o te Manu-kau noa iho e whakaatu ana i te ‘tangi kau noa iho a ngaa manu’.

E hoki ana teenei koorero ki te taunga mai o te waka o Tainui ki Te Maanukanuka o Hoturoa. I reira, ka rongo te iwi i te tangi a te tini manu tai. I te tiimatanga, ka pooheehee te iwi he tangi tangata kee taa raatou i rongo ai, engari, ka kitea ake he ‘manu kau noa iho’.

Ko Manu-kau te whakaraapopototanga o ‘He manu kau noa iho’ kua noho hei ingoa moo te whanga me te rohe whaanui o Manukau. I te whakahokinga o te ingoa ki te rohe o Te Papa Reehia o Hayman, ka whakaatungia te taapua o teenei whenua tuku iho ki te iwi o te rohe, ki a Waiohua.

Ko teenei rohe, i toona waa, he whenua tuku iho e tapotu ana me oona repo maha, ka mutu, ko eetehi e haumanutia ana. Ko ngaa repo ngaa taakihi o Papatuuaanuku. Ko taa te repo he taatari hei whakatahe i ngaa taaoke i ngaa riu hopu wai huri noa. Ka rere ngaa wai maaori e maa ana ki Waipuhinui me toona taunga taiao, araa, ki Te Maanukanuka o Hoturoa.

E ai ki ngaa koorero tuku iho, naa Taane Mahuta i whakawehe toona matua, a Ranginui, i toona whaea, i a Papatuuaanuku. Noo konaa, ka tiimata tana whakarite aahuatanga hei tiaki, hei manaaki i a Papatuuaanuku. Ko taa teetehi koorero e mea ana, naa Taane i whakatuu ngaa ngahere hei puukahukahu moo Papa, aa, ko ngaa repo hei taakihi moona, hei puunaha maaori ki te whakaora i toona tinana.

He taonga ngaa repo ki te iwi o Waiohua. Taapua ana ngaa repo hei mahinga kai, hei kohinga rawa hoki. He mea kohikohi katoa ngaa rawa i konei hei kaakahu, hei rongoaa, hei rawa whakatuu whare, hei taura, hei whaariki, hei rawa hii ika hoki. Ko ngaa taonga, peenei i ngaa utauta, i ngaa raakau a Tuu me ngaa whakairo, ka waiho ki ngaa oneone rei kia hunaia, kia taarokia i ngaa waa o te tutuunga o te puehu.

He koorero teenei naa Te Aakitai Waiohua raatou ko Ngāti Tamaoho, ko Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua.

Manu-kau Noa Iho

The story behind the name

Manu-kau Noa Iho translates as 'it’s only just birds'.

It references a time when the Tainui waka (canoe) was portaged over land to the Manukau Harbour. They heard the tangi (cries) of a multitude of manu tai (sea birds). At first they thought these sounds were the cries of human beings but later discovered them to be 'only just birds' - He manu kau noa iho.

Manu-kau is an abbreviation of 'He manu-kau noa iho' that has been adopted for the harbour and the wider Manukau area. Returning the full name for the area to Hayman Park reflects the significance of this cultural landscape to the local Waiohua iwi.

The area was once a low-lying cultural landscape with extensive repo (wetlands), some of which are being restored. Repo are considered the kidneys of Papatuuaanuku (the Earth Mother). They filter toxins from the surrounding land catchment. This cleansed water then flows into Waipuhinui (Puhinui Stream) and its receiving environment, Te Maanukanuka o Hoturoa (the Manukau Harbour).

According to oral traditions Taane Mahuta (God of the Forests and Birds) separated his father Ranginui (the Sky Father) and mother Papatuuaanuku. He then set about providing ways to protect and care for Papatuuaanuku. In one account, he created the forests as her lungs and repo as her kidneys to act as natural cleansing mechanisms for her body.

Waiohua iwi regard repo as taonga (treasures). They are significant mahinga kai (food gathering sites) and resource harvesting areas. Resources for clothing, medicine, building supplies, ropes, mats and fishing materials were all gathered here. Taonga like tools, weapons and carvings were stored in their peat soils to hide and preserve them during times of turmoil.

Narrative provided by Te Aakitai Waiohua, Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua.

This destination playground is located near the Manukau town centre. It takes fun to spectacular new heights and has something for everyone.

The playground has:

• New Zealand's tallest tower at 12.8m high
• advanced safety features
• motion sensor lights on every level
• security cameras
• staircase for caregivers to stay close to children
• three climbing walls, two slides, four rope climbing bridges / tunnels, a see-saw at the top, games on the walls, toy binoculars and telescope, toddler friendly activities
• large adult size swing set and two flying foxes
• ground level activities for those reliant on caregivers, including musical instruments such as chimes and a xylophone, a spinning wheel, moving platforms and talk tubes
• bump track and flow bowl.

Hayman Park also has two basketball half-courts and a skate park.

Parking is limited on Ronwood and Davies avenues, though there is additional parking across the road at the Ronwood Avenue car park. You may find it easier to travel by bus or train as the stations are nearby.

Playground safety rules and tips

Follow these rules to keep yourself and others safe:

• Playgrounds are risky and designed to challenge – always supervise children.
• Use play equipment as it is intended.
• Playgrounds are for everyone – respect others, take turns.

Summer tips:

• Playground surfaces get hot – check before using and wear appropriate clothing and shoes.
• Play when it’s cool and avoid the heat of the day.
• Be sunsmart.