Location: Taranaki Street. Open 9 to 5 most days. Go take a look.
Type of Site: Apartment building. Oh, with a pā site underneath.
Condition: Pretty nice actually.
Most of the pa was purchased by the Provincial Government in the early 1870's in order to extend Taranaki Street through it; central Government approved the purchases as a means of improving the inhabitants' moral condition; at the same time, Parliament was considering a private bill to clear "Slums at Te Aro." [1]
I visit Te Aro Pā, or what remains of it anyway. I sit there on the concrete floor and think about what is, and what was, and what will be, listening to the screeching high-pitched whining of construction machinery. I sit there on the concrete floor and watch the sliding door open, and close.
Even when there’s no-one near it.
I hope someone else will come through the door. Someone I can share my whakapapa with. Someone I can share my connection to this whenua with. So I can say – look, it’s me, it’s us, we are here! We are here!
[1] http://www.wcl.govt.nz/maori/wellington/ngawaahiaro.html#oma