Dr Michael Stevens is a Ngāi Tahu historian currently working for Aukaha on the development of a Ngāi Tahu cultural narrative for Dunedin city. He is one of several people contributing to this project that is compiling Ngāi Tahu associations across the city before and since its British colonial settlement, which began in 1848.
Aukaha is undertaking this initiative with the Dunedin City Council and it is envisaged that precinct and site specific reports will be framed by an overarching narrative document. Through this work it is hoped that Ngāi Tahu history and aspirations will be more visible in Dunedin’s built environment, which is on the cusp of some major redevelopments.
According to Michael, “Aukaha is strongly committed to incorporating a meaningful mana whenua presence into new building projects, like the proposed Dunedin Hospital, as well as exploring how precinct refurbishments and building upgrades can better reflect the Ngāi Tahu presence in Dunedin city. There are some fascinating Ngāi Tahu traditions and vibrant Ngāi Tahu personalities tied to this place and Aukaha believes these should be more widely known.”
Keep an eye out for the results as the cityscape continues to evolve.
