Sky Tower celebrates Māori Language Week

From 14-20 September, the Sky Tower will be lit up like a rainbow to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Māori Language Week.

In association with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, the swirling lights of the Sky Tower will be lit up like a rainbow, inspired by the colours in the Māori Language Week’s Hei Tiki logo. The colours represent the rākau (cuisenaire rods) used in Te Ataarangi, a leading language revitalisation learning programme.

Projected onto the southern side of the Sky Tower, you will also see the Hei Tiki. The kanohi (face) represents the evolving face of Aotearoa and the notions of pride and strength. The tongue represents the elements of revitalisation: status, critical awareness, acquisition, use and corpus.

The lighting initiative was one of a few created by Māori staff at SkyCity to support Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori’s mahi and Māori Language Week.

The Sky Tower is the Southern Hemisphere’s tallest free-standing structure. Based in the heart of Auckland, it is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable landmarks.

SkyCity lights the Sky Tower for charities or community initiatives that we support financially, to mark national holidays, milestones or other celebrations or events, or as a symbol of respect or solidarity.