During the coldest time each year the Matariki star cluster comes rising up for the first time in the eastern sky. This occurrence marks the beginning of an important time of year – the Māori New Year. In this series of blogs, Te Papa Education hopes to introduce you to each of the seven membersRead more
We made the call early on to write from the soldiers’ perspective. In an exhibition about their experiences, it felt important to use their words.Read more
Over 60 Matariki Wellington events will take place across the region from 13 June to 12 July Matariki is a truly Aotearoa New Zealand celebration. It celebrates Aotearoa’s own cycles of nature, tied to the southern hemisphere’s seasons and stars, and marks the end of one cycle and the beginning ofRead more
During the coldest time each year, the Matariki star cluster comes rising up for the first time in the eastern sky. This occurrence marks the beginning of an important time of year: the Māori New Year. This is a time for coming together with whānau (family) to think about the pastRead more
NGĀ TOI ARTS TE PAPA KANOHI KITEA Ahakoa he iti whetū ki runga ki te rangi nui pōkēkēao ūhia kia ngaro, e kore e ngaro. Even though the stars shining in the nights sky might be obscured by a passing cloud, they will never be obliterated! This whakataukī (proverb)Read more
Ngā rau kura – Precious feathers In 2007 I identified the birds in Te Papa’s Māori cloaks using microscopic analyses of feather down and museum bird skin comparisons. My findings have provided a deeper knowledge of the museum’s natural history and Māori collections but also an appreciation and understanding ofRead more
I have found that studying patterns of wear on hei tiki can be quite revealing. Most hei tiki are made from nephrite pounamu, one of the toughest and most durable natural materials in existence. This being so I think we can safely assume that surface wear on hei tiki didn’t happenRead more
In March 2015 I gave a talk at MTG in Napier about my research into the iconic Māori adornment hei tiki. The talk was to complement their recently opened and strikingly beautiful exhibition Kura Pounamu. Link to NZ Herald article on MTG Pounamu exhibition, 24 December 2014 A diverse audience ofRead more
In what is probably a first for an exhibition like this, Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War has its very own soundtrack and score to enhance the visitor experience. In this blog Te Papa researcher Amber Aranui talks about recreating the sounds of Māori at Gallipoli. For the part ofRead more
In our second blog ahead of our new exhibition Gallipoli: The scale of our war opening on April 18, Māori curator Puawai Cairns reveals some of her research into a Māori soldier that served at Gallipoli. Unlike many of the other Māori soldiers I researched for this exhibition, 2nd LieutenantRead more
Te Papa vertebrate curator Dr Colin Miskelly recently led a team that visited Takapourewa / Stephens Island Nature Reserve, to select and gather up 100 fairy prion chicks to move to Mana Island near Wellington. This is the first in a series of blogs about the project and the wildlifeRead more
This morning Te Papa farewelled the exhibition of tukutuku panels which are to be installed at the United Nations Headquarters in New York early next year. The woven panels, which have been on display at Te Papa since July, were commissioned by former Minister of Māori Affairs Dr Pita SharplesRead more
Tēnā ano tātou – thank you for all of your support for last week’s blog! It is such an extraordinary privilege working with our Kaumatua and Kuia and sharing their kōrero with you. Feeding back the response from all the readers is ‘icing on the cake’. Here is our next instalment byRead more
By the Art Curators at Te Papa: Sarah Farrar, Athol McCredie, Lissa Mitchell, Chelsea Nichols, Justine Olsen, Rebecca Rice, Mark Stocker and Megan Tamati-Quennell The recent passing of Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, CNZM, (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kurī, Te Aupōuri, Pākehā), the national museum’s Head of Arts & Visual Culture, leaves not only TeRead more
Have you noticed a strong sweet smell while walking past any trees lately? You might be smelling the flowers of lemonwood/tarata (Pittosporum eugenioides). This native New Zealand tree is better known for its lemon-scented leaves than its flowers, which are small and pale. However, the flowers produce an almost overpoweringRead more
