‘Nature is abundant’: a local’s guide to Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau

‘We’re big on variety and new culinary experiences in Aotearoa,’ says art curator Nathan Pohio. Composite: Getty Images

I moved from Ōtautahi/Christchurch to Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland three-and-a-half years ago. We of Ōtautahi had been through a decade of rebuilding after the 2011 earthquake. We lost about 80% of the historic city centre so I appreciate the old architecture in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Tāmaki Makaurau (which means “Tāmaki desired by many” or “Tāmaki of a hundred lovers”) is a very pretty city. Nature is abundant and it’s densely green; the city appears to have grown while meeting the Tūpuna Maunga ancestral mountains. There are 14 such mountains near the central business district (CBD) that are mostly easy climbs with wonderful views. Rangitoto, Takaparawhau/Bastion Point and Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill, among others, carry significant cultural narratives.