Woman holding a bone in a room full of drawers and shelves

The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage visited Te Papa’s natural history collection today to make an announcement that will be widely celebrated by the museum sector, as well as by anyone who values and appreciates New Zealand’s natural and cultural heritage as Curator Vertebrates Colin Miskelly explains.Read more

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In: Behind the scenes, Science

In 2018, Curator Invertebrates Julia Kasper put out a call on Te Papa’s blog looking for enthusiastic code crackers to decipher Hudson’s handwritten collection records with her post, Help crack the insect code. Approximately 80 people contacted Te Papa and asked about more information and how they could help with the research, and now Julia is hoping for more volunteers.Read more

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In: Science
Red pandanus seed pods joined together and shown in two rows on a white background

So’o se gagana lava e iai ona suiga. O nei suiga e afua mai la tā fa’aaogāina ‘o le gagana. ‘O la tā fa’aaogāina fo’i o le gagana, e afua mai i lo tā fa’asinomaga. Mo le Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa 2020, ua matou vala’auliaina ai le Susūga ia Le’ausālilō Lupematasila Fata ‘Au’afa Dr. Sadat Muaiava e fa’asoa i lana su’esu’ega sa fai mo lana fa’ailoga ‘o le Foma’i ‘o le Tōfā Manino, lea sa ia sa’ili’ili ai ‘i suiga ‘o le gagana Samoa mai le tausaga e 1906 seia o’o i le tausaga e 2014. ‘O Le’ausālilō ‘olo’o faiāoga nei i le Mataupu Tau Samoa i le Iunivesite o Vitoria, Uelegitone, i Niu Sila. Read more

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In: Pacific
Red pandanus seed pods joined together and shown in two rows on a white background

Language changes over time, and the way we speak is influenced by who and where we are and how we are putting language to use. For Sāmoan Language week 2020, we have invited Le’ausālilō Lupematasila Fata ‘Au’afa Dr Sadat Muaiava to share some insights from his doctoral research on Sāmoan language change from 1906–2014. Le’ausālilō, is a lecturer in the Sāmoan Studies programme at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.Read more

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In: Pacific
A white plate on black background

Throughout this Covid-19 season, New Zealanders have experimented and sharpened their creative skills while in lockdown, not least in their kitchens. But as Kiwi business owners and culinary artists struggle with the long-term effects of Level 4, could New Zealand’s copyright legislation be doing more to help? Media and Image Researcher Katie Fordyce chews over this question that offers timely food for thought.Read more

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In: Collections Online
View from interior of a room, with woman and dog at the threshold - the woman turned to look back at the artist.

During lockdown, we’ve been encouraged to ‘post’ objects in our windows to offer symbols of solidarity – teddy bears and Anzac poppies – for people walking past, looking in. Rebecca Rice, Curator Historical New Zealand Art reverses the direction and looks at works in our collection where the artist shows us views from the inside out.Read more

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In: Art

What price are you willing to pay for food? For most of us, that’s a question about money. But what if the cost were actual pain, injury and death? For some seals and dolphins, this a real risk when hunting. David Hocking, Silke Cleuren and William Parker (Monash University, Melbourne, Australia) and Felix Marx (Te Papa) took a close look at a New Zealand (or long-nosed) fur seal that stranded at Cape Conran in southeastern Australia, and discovered it had numerous severe facial injuries. Read more

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In: Science
Sepia image of 15 people sitting on flax mats under trees

Ka whakanuia tētahi o ngā reo onge rawa o te ao e te Wiki o te Reo Rotuman. Mā Jacki Leota-Mua, arā, ko te Mātanga Hōtaka Iwi Whānui, rātou ko ngā mema o te hapori o Rotuman tātou e kawe atu i te haumarutanga o ngā poihau rāhui ki Rotuma, e 500 manomita ki te raki o Whītī, ki te rapu kōrero anō mō ngā hui whakanui kava a tēnei motu.Read more

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Sepia image of 15 people sitting on flax mats under trees

Kav fak gagaj fak Rotuma

‘Amnäk ne gasav ne fäeag Rotuạm ta, la a‘pumuạ‘ạkia fäegat ne hele‘uen la peak pạu ‘e laloag ne rän te‘. Jacki Leota-Mua ne garue ‘e Te Papa ma kạutạunạ‘iạg Rotuạm ne Niusirạgi (NZRF group), hö‘ạkia ‘os a‘häe se ‘os ‘ạtmot ta Rotuma, ne fu sousou ‘e Fiti la hạila‘oag ma mäel tarạu fol ma saghul (500kms). ‘Oris ‘amnạki la sạkiroa rere ne foh kav fak Rotuma. Read more

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