Portal to the Past

Chequered with Victorian buildings and a rich history of Maori, an old neighbourhood in Auckland called Ponsonby reveals its forgotten past from behind elite streets and reinvented lifestyle. Malavika Bhattacharya maps the scene.

- Malavika Bhattacharya

A CORNER OF A VICTORIAN-STYLE BUILDING POKES OUT OF THE GRASS AT AUCKLAND’S WESTERN PARK.

On a visible column are printed the words BIRDS USED TO SIT HERE, AND WATCH PEOPLE FAR BELOW. It looks ominous, as if the building had tipped over and the earth had opened to swallow it whole, leaving but one corner visible. This is Kiwi sculptor John Radford’s three-part creation spread across Western Park called the ‘Tip’—an homage to the city’s lost architectural heritage. Back in the 1980s, many characteristic buildings in Auckland were demolished to make way for more modern offices or shopping complexes, and their architectural remnants dumped here. The demolition and dumping formed the basis for Radford’s work, and the name ‘Tip’ a deliberate play on words: what’s visible is the tip of a building, and also, ‘tip’ refers to a rubbish dump in Kiwi slang. “A layered and chequered history of Auckland lies beneath the surface,” says Neala Glass, an Auckland artist who runs the Black Door Gallery in Parnell.

Neala is leading me through Ponsonby Road on an art tour through the elite inner city suburb that’s lined with Victorian-style buildings. Today, the trendy precinct is known for its posh fashion boutiques, high-end dining establishments, bars, and nightlife. But Ponsonby is also a cultural hub, with galleries, street art, and a multi-faceted history.

On the surface, the neighbourhood is swish, but Ponsonby’s history, just like the Tip, is layered. Before the European settlers arrived, this area was frequented by Maori. They’d gather leaves from Western Park to make mats, and visit nearby fishing and trading ports for livelihood.