Students from Petone Central School in the Starlab.

June is a busy month at Te Papa – it’s Matariki. And this year it’s going to be especially busy for the Education team! Our Term 2 Education programmes are fully booked this year with over 2500 students attending our Matariki education programme alone. This number includes: 916 students whoRead more

By:
On:
In: Education, Māori

As the History Team prepares to bring out William Colenso’s magnificent printing press for the forthcoming exhibition Oceania – Early Encounters (opening 6 August 2011), I am reminded that the Hawke’s Bay Museum & Art Gallery are planning ‘to celebrate the life and ideas of Colenso – one of the fathersRead more

By:
On:
In: History, Māori

2011 Māori and Pacific Textile Symposium The beating of aute, or tapa, is a heartbeat that resounds across the ocean of Kiwa. The harakeke of Aotearoa, symbolising family, acknowledges the relationship of the Pacific people as one, through weaving. These genealogical and material connections will be explored at the inauguralRead more

By:
On:
In: Māori, Pacific

An exhibition of Māori fish-hooks (matau) made from wood, bone, stone, and shell opens at Te Papa on Saturday December 4th. While early European explorers considered these fish-hooks to be ‘ill-made’ and ‘of doubtful efficacy’, research has shown that the design was highly effective. Unlike modern steel hooks, the MāoriRead more

By:
On:
In: Māori
Luke and Anton fish up the North Island in our Te Huka ā Tai Whānau Day | (c) Te Papa

On Wednesday, several children came to Te Huka ā Tai at Te Papa and fished up the Te Ika a Māui (the North Island).  And why not? After a long and lovely day soaking in some of the scariest, hairiest, chilling and thrilling myths and legends Aotearoa has produced, it justRead more

By:
On:
In: Māori
Richard Nunns talks to Te Papa's taonga pūoro group, March 2010.

The staff in Te Papa’s taonga pūoro group are very lucky to have Richard Nunns as our mentor. Through his teaching and encouragement we continue to explore the kaupapa of taonga pūoro. Richard is an incredibly busy man, travelling throughout New Zealand and often overseas, involved in many different projects.  If heRead more

By:
On:
In: Māori

It seems the language of the Na’vi, the indigenous people of the planet Pandora, may be the latest addition to the family tree of Pacific languages. In recent publicity surrounding James Cameron’s blockbuster film Avatar, it was revealed that the development of the Na’vi language was influenced by Maori language.Read more

By:
On:
In: Māori, Pacific
Te Papa's pounamu and paua Christmas tree

It’s Christmas at Te Papa and this year’s Christmas tree decorations are on a pounamu and paua theme. The colourful creations include tikis as you’ve never seen them before! Here’s one with fabulous tropical looking flowers… But my favourite tiki is this one with it’s red sparkly hearts… If you’dRead more

By:
On:
In: Māori

Tim Tait is one of Te Papa’s  talented IT developers and one smart cookie.  He put together the fabulous touchscreen image browser which you can find in our Kura Pounamu exhibition – and after more of Tim’s hard work this is now available on our website. All 200 of the incredible pounamuRead more

By:
On:
In: Māori
Takitimu marae, before the pōwhiri

On the 23-26 October 2009, fellow work colleague Hokimate Harwood and I attended one of the biggest events on the arts calendar of Māori weaving-the Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa Weavers National Hui. A biennial event, the first inaugural hui was called by Ngoingoi Pewhairangi of Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare, aRead more

By:
On:
In: Art, Māori

One of Te Papa’s photographers Norman Heke is usually behind the camera. He’s been at many hui and wānanga, studiously taking photos to put together a wonderful photographic record of these events. This time Norm was able to take part in the taonga pūoro wānanga and learned how to make and play aRead more

By:
On:
In: Māori