TE HONONGA Ā TOTO
An exhibition by Stacey Noel

This exhibition is an opportunity to remember and celebrate the stories of our parents and grandparents who moved to the big city for adventure.

It acknowledges the courage of our people to create and thrive through tragedies and triumphs in the city of Tāmaki Makaurau, and their valuable contribution to the shaping of this beautiful place.

TE HONONGA Ā TOTO is also a reminder that no matter where or how far we wander, our whakapapa remains.

In Conversation with Phylesha Brown-Acton, MNZM

Polynesians have long celebrated diversity in gender and sexuality, yet discrimination against transgender individuals persists, leading to protests and movements for equality.

Phylesha Brown-Acton, a Fakafifine, and activist from Niue Island, has been a leading voice in advocating for the rights and visibility of Pacifika LGBTQI+ individuals.

Join us for an intimate conversation with Phylesha about her life, heritage, and her past efforts to address the needs of communities in Tamaki Makaurau.
Limited spots are available, so book early.  Hosted by Richard Howard.

Savalivali Tete’e (Walking Protest), with Sofi Pua

Join us for a nostalgic stroll along Ponsonby Road, where second-hand stores once abound and the famous Ivans Café offered half a loaf of buttered bread with every order.

Hear tales of what life was like for our Pasifika community living in the area during the 1970s and 80s.

Bring your protest flag as a tribute to the campaigners of the past and let’s celebrate the protest spirit of Tāmaki Makaurau. Hosted by Sofi Pua

Ponsonby Road Heritage Hunt

Pick up a Heritage Hunt map from Studio One Toi Tū or Leys Institute Little Library and explore the historic and heritage sites of Te Rimu Tahi (Ponsonby).

Discover the meeting places of the Polynesian Panthers, New Zealand’s first Mosque, a Vogels bread factory and much more. As you find these places collect the clues and decode the message to obtain your treasure from either Studio One or Leys Institute little library.

Presented by Leys Institute little library and Love Ponsonby.

Hollywood Sounds: Heritage Organ Meets Film Music

Visit the Auckland Unitarian Church for a one-of-a-kind musical journey of peace, love and protest from Hollywood blockbuster hits. Their magnificent 1904 organ has been restored and produces awe-inspiring stereophonic sound. The organ is the only one of its kind in New Zealand and Helen Lukman-Fox will showcase its extraordinary capabilities.
Plus you can try your hand (and feet) at playing on other organs.

Date:
Saturday 23 Sep, 11am-12.30pm (Ponsonby Market Day)

Venue:
Auckland Unitarian Church, 1a Ponsonby Road

Book Your Place Online Now. Bookings are essential.

Guided Heritage Walk of Ponsonby, with Edward Bennett

Auckland historian Edward Bennett leads a walk through the streets of Ponsonby, explaining the architecture and social history of Three Lamps and St Marys Bay. Hear stories of the local people, and the secrets, scandals, and curiosities associated with the area. Even long-term residents may be surprised by the hidden gems on their doorstep.

Auckland’s lost and loved old movie theatres, with Dr Brian McDonnell

Dr Brian McDonnell’s illustrated talk will take you back to the days before television when Auckland had more than 50 movie theatres, and we all grandly went into town for the latest films or attended the weekly Saturday matinee at our local suburban bughouse.

Learn about the old theatres in Ponsonby and the businesses that pioneered cinema in the city.

Ponsonby History, with Edward Bennett

Ponsonby is now one of Auckland’s most well-known and fashionable neighbourhoods. Learn how a farming community was transformed into a middle-class suburb, then became a working-class area and a melting pot of cultures. Hear about some of the notable (and sometimes notorious) characters who lived there. This illustrated lecture by historian Edward Bennett gives an overview of the architectural, political and social history of the area.

Victorian Houses, with Edward Bennett

Discover how 19th century people communicated their status, wealth and taste through the exterior look of their homes. Find out how the choices of materials and details on a house were intended to reveal (and conceal) certain things about the inhabitants.

Join this fascinating illustrated talk by architectural designer and historian Edward Bennett about domestic architecture in the Victorian and Edwardian periods, with a particular emphasis on the inner-city villa of the Liberal period (1890-1914).

Inside the Victorian Villa, with Edward Bennett

The interior of a Victorian house was more than just a cluttered collection of objects. It was a reflection of the inhabitants’ social and cultural aspirations, full of symbolism and hidden agendas.

In this astonishing lecture, architectural historian Edward Bennett reveals just what the home décor choices of Victorian and Edwardian people were meant to convey to the visitor during a period when the terms “Conspicuous Consumption” and “Kitsch” were invented.