Tāngata Whenua Gallery

Taoka (treasures) of Kāi Tahu and other iwi (tribes) throughout Aotearoa New Zealand

About

Nau mai haere mai ki kā taoka o kā takata whenua.

Tangata Whenua was designed with the help and guidance of representatives of Kāi Tahu, the local iwi and descendants of the first people to settle Te Waipounamu, the South Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The gallery tells the story of how Māori lived in Aotearoa and made it their home. It wonders at the technologies adapted to local resources and celebrates Māori artistic expression through i whakairo (carvings), raranga (weaving), and stone working, especially pounamu (greenstone). Some of the taoka pounamu are heirlooms on loan from Kāi Tahu whānau.

A 17-metre waka (canoe) takes centre stage in the gallery. The hull was made around 1840 using wood from two native tōtara trees and purchased by the Museum in 1931.

Don’t Miss

• A kahu kurī, a prized cloak made from the now extinct Māori dog

• Contemporary gateway made by renowned Māori artist Cliff Whiting and members of Otago rūnaka

• A mere named Tira and a toki pounamu named Te Poho o te atua from the local Parata whānau

• Pair of rei puta, or whale ivory chevron amulets, found at Saint Clair

• Perforated moa egg found at Waihemo (Shag River Mouth)