Taoka Māori
Taoka Māori Overview
Tūhura Otago Museum is the custodian of one the largest collections of southern Māori taoka in the world. With the support of the Tūhura Otago Museum Māori Advisory Committee and the Lottery World War One Commemorations Environment and Heritage Committee Fund, over 22,000 items from the collection were digitised for online access in 2016 – 2018. This digital collection continues to grow. As Tūhura Otago Museum holds these taoka on behalf of Kāi Tahu, we request that all images and associated information be used only for research, study, personal, and educational purposes. All enquiries should be directed to [email protected]
Search the collection
Momo Taoka
Featured Categories
Taoka Puoro
This collection includes musical instruments like pūtātara (trumpets), kōauau (flutes) and whio (whistles).
Ipu
Our ipu (vessel) collection comprises general vessels, such as gourds, kete, and containers, as well as those with specific purposes, like waka huia.
Taoka Whakarākei
This is a wide-ranging collection which includes adornment items like pendants, beads, combs, and hei tiki. The Tūhura Otago Museum collection contains items made from bone, shell, wood, and stone such as pounamu.
Mau Rākau
Weapons such as patu, mere, and tewhatewha can be found in this collection. It contains both functional and ceremonial items, made of materials like wood, bone, and pounamu.
Kākahu
This collection includes textiles like korowai (cloaks), sandals, kete, and piupiu among many other items. They are made of a wide range of materials such as plant fibres like harakeke and lacebark, feathers, and more modern materials like wool.
Keteparaha Kōhatu
Tūhura Otago Museum has a large collection of tools like toki (adzes) and chisels. They are often made from rock, including pounamu and argillite, and toki are sometimes lashed to a carved wooden handle.