Iwi and hapū in regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle suffered damage to marae, urupā, and taonga – some irrevocable – causing long-term impacts on these communities. Te Papa staff had their boots on the ground to help out at four marae in Ngāti Kahungunu. Here, they share their kōrero.Read more
New Zealand photographer Ans Westra passed away on 26 February 2023 at age 86. Here curator of photography Athol McCredie reflects on some aspects of Westra’s work. Ans Westra was born in the Netherlands and lived in New Zealand from 1957. She settled in Wellington, working at first in aRead more
Te Papa recently acquired three hei karaka woven by Tangimoe Clay (Te Whakatōhea) in Ōpōtiki, in the eastern Bay of Plenty. The lei or hei karaka is a form of necklace or adornment. Mātauranga Māori Curator Issac Te Awa describes the hei karaka and how this collection represents a modernRead more
Harakeke, or New Zealand flax, was of vital importance to Māori. It was the most significant source of fibre and had a multitude of uses from making ropes, clothing, mats, and baskets. Like many other museums, we hold a large number of taonga made from harakeke. For many of theRead more
It has been over two years since Aotearoa New Zealand went into lockdown in the hopes of limiting the spread of Covid-19. While not yet behind us, we are now in a position to be able to reflect on those early stages of the pandemic. Throughout this time a myriad of responses were put into place with the community at the very centre. Master of Museum and Practice Student Kate Hudspith-Gooch spent a one-month internship at Te Papa, and was tasked with conducting a small-scale research project into one of the lesser-acknowledged responses to the pandemic – iwi-led Covid-19 Checkpoints – as a part of the ongoing Making Histories: Communities and Covid-19 Project. Kate talks about her research here.Read more
The star Hiwaiterangi (Greek: Calaeno) is the star associated with granting our wishes and realising our aspirations for the coming year. Curator Pacific Cultures Rachel Yates talks about the whetū Hiwaiterangi and the connection to our collections.Read more
The star Waitī (Greek: Maia) is associated with all freshwater, and food sources that are sustained by those waters. Curator Mātauranga Māori Matiu Baker talks about a connection to this whetū in our collections.Read more
The star Waitā (Greek: Taygeta) is associated with the ocean, and food sources within it. Assistant Curator Art Hanahiva Rose talks about a connection to this whetū in our collections.Read more
The star Waipunarangi (Greek: Electra) is associated with the rain and water that pools. Learning Specialist Leroy de Thierry talks about a connection to Waipunarangi with a special kind of pākē (rain cape) in our collection.Read more
The star Ururangi (Greek: Merope) is the star associated with the winds. Curator Mātauranga Māori Isaac Te Awa talks about how the start Ururangi connects to taonga in our collection.Read more
The star Tupuānuku (Greek: Pleione) is the star associated with everything that grows within the soil to be harvested or gathered for food. Curator Mātauranga Māori Dougal Austin talks about the connection between the star Tupuānuku and a kō in our collection.Read more
The star Tupuārangi (Greek: Atlas) is associated with everything that grows up in the trees: fruits, berries, and birds. Kaitiaki Taonga Collection Manager Humanities Cameron Woolford talks about the connection of Tupuārangi to taonga in our collections.Read more
The star Matariki (Greek: Alcyone) signifies reflection, hope, our connection to the environment, and the gathering of people. Matariki is also connected to the health and wellbeing of people. Kaitohutohu Rautaki-ā-Iwi Strategic Advisor Iwi Relationships Watene Campbell talks about how te ponga in our collections connects to the whetū (star) Matariki. Read more
The star Pōhutukawa (Greek: Sterope) is the star associated with those who have died. Curator Mātauranga Māori Amber Aranui talks about the whetū Pōhutukawa and remembers those being returned home, and a special person we recently lost from our Te Papa whānau.Read more
Late last year Te Whanganui-a-Tara | Wellington hosted Pūoro Tū, a festival of “adventures in Māori instruments and sounds”. Here, taonga pūoro practitioner and Pūoro Tū organiser Ruby Solly reflects on this six-day celebration of the oro.Read more
