The newly carved wakatētē Te Ao Marama has embarked on her maiden voyage, marking a powerful moment of reconnection for this community.

Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito meeting house has been sitting more than 18,000km away from home since the 1890s. Today its return seems the closest it has been since it left New Zealand shores.

Inside this performing arts centre, Laughton Kora sees more than just kids learning a few chords. In his eyes, this is the next generation of Kiwi music. They are storytellers.

What if the feeling of belonging somewhere is made up of far more than landmarks and places to shop or eat? During a recent trip to Japan, Our Place co-owner and creative director Christopher Duffy, was curious to see how routines, gestures and like-mindedness can shape a sense of place. What follows isn’t a catalogue of destinations, but a reflection on what he noticed when he looked past the obvious.

Pujan and Manisha share their personal story as part of a new series offering a glimpse behind the counter of our neighbourhood stores.