He Ara Hīkoi - A Walking Journey Through Light, Story and Place

Join Rana & Grayson for a guided walking tour through the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau, where light, art and whakapapa come together to reveal the stories woven into the city's landscape.

This unique hīkoi explores a series of contemporary light installations and public artworks that illuminate the histories, people and places of downtown Auckland. Along the way, you'll discover how Ahikaa/Mana Whenua artists have transformed the urban environment into a living canvas, reconnecting the city with the narratives that have always existed beneath our feet.

Beginning at Tūhono, a captivating light and sound installation created by a collective of young Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei artists, the journey follows the waterfront along Beach Road and Quay Street to Waka Maumahara, before continuing through Britomart to Te Komititanga and Te Tauihu. The tour then heads up Queen Street, pausing at Tūrama, before concluding in Aotea Square with Are Atoms Alive?, a striking digital artwork that complements the iconic Waharoa.

Your journey doesn't have to end there. Using your smartphone, you can continue exploring with Arawhetū, an augmented reality experience that reveals a constellation of digital sculptures hidden throughout Aotea Square and Myers Park, ending on Karangahape Road.

Tours are available in te reo Māori or English and offer an engaging introduction to the history, creativity and cultural significance of Tāmaki Makaurau through the lens of contemporary public art.

Duration: Approximately 2 hours
Meeting Point: Mahuhu-ki-te-rangi Park,
13-19 Mahuhu Crescent Auckland, Auckland 1010
Ending: Aotea Square, Queen St.

Please wear comfortable walking shoes, bring a warm layer, and come ready to experience the city in a whole new light.