Pukeahu is a hill in Wellington city moulded between two streams. One stream runs down Taranaki Street to the vicinity of Te Aro pā. The other stream begins near Wellington hospital and runs down Adelaide Road. Both flow into the moana, Te Whanganui a Tara. They were part of a rich landscape for local Māori, who cultivated their gardens and lit their fires on this land. You can’t see either of these streams now because they’ve been channelled through underground pipes, but they remain, much like the stories of this land.

At Pukeahu you can work with Ricky Prebble (Pouako for Manatū Taonga / Educator for the Ministry of Culture and Heritage) to explore the many stories from the land and the artefacts and monuments that surround Pukeahu, including the National War Memorial. For more information visit Education at Pukeahu.

Ricky clocked up 10 years at Wellington East Girls’ College, before metamorphosing into an educator/historian with Manatū Taonga where he designs free education programmes at the Pukeahu education centre for primary and high schools. He also writes history and teaching material for e Akomanga.