Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui blessing celebrates final stage of restoration

Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui was blessed this morning with a tohi tāngaengae – a dawn rededication ceremony led by mana whenua tohunga (tikanga experts), followed by a tour of the site and rawa for guests and stakeholders. 

The restoration of Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui has created a modern, uniquely Wellington library that acknowledges and embraces the history of Pōneke and has mana whenua narratives woven throughout. 

At the heart of this is a groundbreaking partnership between Wellington City Council and mana whenua. Mana whenua designers Tihei Limited have worked as co-design partners alongside Athfield Architects, the building’s original designers. 

Rawa refers to both Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui itself, and a collection of creative pieces within it designed by mana whenua artists. In te reo Māori, the term rawa can be understood as an object, a valuable asset or a resource. In this context, rawa reflects the depth and breadth of mātauranga and Māori cultural expression imbued in these pieces.

Rangi Kipa (Te Āti Awa, Taranaki Whānui) from Tihei (mana whenua design lead) says: “I’ve used the word rawa as a way to describe how these pieces are intimately connected to our people, to our story, to the future that we are bringing into being. These cultural practices are the way we convey, transmit, and maintain mātauranga.”

Council’s Chief Operating Officer James Roberts says: “Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui will be the first of multiple Te Ngākau Civic Square projects that will bring communities together for shared learning and discovery, and creative, cultural, democratic, and arts experiences. 

“Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui will allow Wellingtonians to utilise library services alongside Nōku te Ao Capital E and Wellington City Archives, and fully support activities and events like exhibitions, cultural experiences, makerspaces and school programmes.” 

Three mana whenua artists were commissioned to create specific rawa inside the building as part of the co-design partnership between the Council, Tihei, and Athfield Architects.

• Darcy Nicholas (Te Āti Awa, Ngāi Te Rangi, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui, NgātIu Hauā)
• Ngahina Hohaia (Taranaki iwi, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Moeahu, Ngāti Haupoto – Parihaka)
• Wiremu Barriball (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Rarawa)

The outside of the building will honour the late mana whenua poet J.C Sturm (Taranaki iwi, Te Āti Awa, Ngati Ruanui, Te Pakakohi, and Te Whakatōhea of Ōpōtiki mai Tawhiti) and her poem Brown Optimism. The choice of Sturm, also known as Te Kare Papuni and Jacquie Baxter, reflects both her own prestigious artistic career and her seminal role as a librarian at the Wellington Public Library in Te Ngākau for over twenty years.

Sturm first joined the Wellington City Library in what is now the City Gallery building, and later worked in Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui itself.  She was one of the first Māori librarians in the country, and from 1972 the principal New Zealand Room librarian for Wellington.

Her work as an artist is equally distinguished. One of New Zealand’s leading female Māori short story writers and poets, she is a unique and important voice in Aotearoa New Zealand literature. Her collected works, co-edited by Ruth Buchanan and Paul Millar, will be published in 2026 by Steele Roberts.

A dedicated website is live at tematapihi.govt.nz, providing the public with their first peek inside Te Matapihi, including images of the rawa and artists, as well as information about the design partnership and te taiao inspiration.  The total cost of the building design and build inclusive of furniture, fittings and equipment is within the $217.6 million budget.  

The overall cost of the four artist-commissioned rawa is $1.5 million. This cost includes artists fees, fabrication, installation and consultant costs. This cost was approved by the Council in December 2022. 

The official reopening of Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui celebration is scheduled for Saturday 14 March 2026.