The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial
Oi Manawa, the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial, stands on the banks of the Avon River / Ōtākaro in Central Christchurch, a short walk from the heart of the rebuilt city. It is one of New Zealand's most profound memorials, and the most visited. Ngāi Tahu gifted the name Oi Manawa, meaning "tremor or quivering of the heart", a phrase that captures the earthquake's physical reality and its human impact in a single phrase.
The Earthquake and its Losses
On 22 February 2011, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the Port Hills, on the edge of Christchurch. At 12:51 in the afternoon, with the city's streets and buildings full, 185 people died. It was one of the most destructive earthquakes in New Zealand's history, given its size. The shallow depth and proximity to the city produced ground accelerations that exceeded anything previously recorded in New Zealand. The CTV Building on Cashel Street collapsed, killing 115 people, around 60 per cent of the total death toll.
Among the victims were students and teachers from the King's Education language school on the building's fourth floor, many of them in New Zealand to learn English. A striking reality the memorial brings home is how many of the 185 people on the wall were visitors to New Zealand.
The Memorial's Design
The memorial was designed by Slovenian architect Grega Vezjak, chosen from more than 330 entries submitted from 37 countries in an international competition. The design is one of powerful restraint. On the south bank of the Ōtākaro / Avon River, a long curving wall, 111 metres from end to end, runs along the river's curve, faced in white marble and inscribed with the names of all 185 people who died.
The names are arranged not alphabetically but by their location at the time of the earthquake, grouping family members, colleagues, and friends together as requested by the bereaved families. Ten languages appear on the wall, among them Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Thai.
The north bank is a park with trees and seating, separated from the wall by the river. The experience of the memorial is intended as a descent; you leave the street level behind, step down a ramp, and enter a quieter space close to the water.
Ngāi Tūāhuriri blessed the memorial and the sites of loss. A large kōhatu pounamu at the entrance, gifted by Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio, anchors you to the place. The memorial opened in February 2017, the sixth anniversary of the earthquake. It is registered as one of New Zealand's 21 National Memorials.
How to Get There
The memorial is about a five-minute walk from Cashel Mall along the Ōtākaro / Avon River, on Oxford Terrace. The south bank area with the memorial wall can be entered via a ramp from either end. It is accessible 24 hours a day.
Nearby places to visit in the city centre include Margaret Mahy Family Playground, Victoria Square, Cathedral Square, the Art Gallery, the Arts Centre, Ravescar House Museum and the Botanic Gardens.
