An authentically Māori playground, the first of its kind in the world, has opened in Auckland.
"This is the traditional hupara," Auckland mayor Phil Goff told Te Karere.
"No steel, plastic or rubber. Just the natural environment so walking along logs, walking across you know the piles of timber, swamp kauri all around us, we can walk down in the marsh."
Hupara, or traditional log-based Māori artefacts, were an important resource used by Māori for play, learning and exercise.
The Mt Roskill playground is made from the land, inspired from the roots of Te Ao Māori – the Māori world, says Māori game expert Harko Brown.
"Trying to re-birth these for a purpose not only for the children to play on but youth to relate to, you know, real hauora-related. Also play, also learning.”
The Auckland Council says they intend to build more children's parks like this in the future.
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