Te Ripo o te Moana: Taonga Through Time brings together taonga Māori from the Museum’s collection in an exhibition exploring the richness and diversity of Māori creative practice.
Featuring:
- whakairo rākau (wood carving)
- raranga (weaving)
- kōwhaiwhai (customary painting)
- whakakai (body adornment).
The exhibition spans both customary and contemporary Māori art. Through taonga from across Aotearoa, visitors will discover distinct making traditions, materials and visual languages shaped by the unique environment and materials of Aotearoa.
Rich in story and symbolism, these taonga reflect enduring connections between tangata (people), whenua (land) and moana (sea). Translated as ‘The Whirlpool of the Sea’, Te Ripo o te Moana shares stories of migration, whakapapa and identity, revealing how ancestral knowledge is carried forward and reimagined through generations of makers.