Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Share Their Story In New Exhibition At Auckland Museum

Ko Māhuhu-ki-te-rangi te waka
Māhuhu-ki-te-rangi is the ancestral canoe

Ko Maungakiekie te maunga
Maungakiekie is the mountain

Ko Waitematā te moana
Waitematā is the ocean

Ko Ngāti Whātua te iwi
Ngāti Whātua is the tribe

Ko Tuperiri te tupuna
Tuperiri is the ancestor

Ko Ōrākei te marae
Ōrākei is the marae

Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum’s Te Taunga Community Hub welcomes a new exhibition, Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua, celebrating the vibrant identity of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei are the tangata whenua of Te Kahu Tōpuni o Tuperiri, the ancestral cloak that covers central Tāmaki. This exhibition is an invitation to step into the physical, cultural, and spiritual threads that weave their story.

Opening Monday 24 March, Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua shares rarely or never-before publicly exhibited taonga from both the Museum’s collection and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, including raranga, whakairo, korowai, tukutuku, and contemporary and archival images and video.

Marama Royal, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Chair says, “For generations, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei have upheld our identity, traditions, and connection to this whenua, to Te Kahu Tōpuni o Tuperiri. Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua is a doorway into our world. Each taonga in this collection speaks of who we are – a people who have endured, adapted, and thrived, always grounded in the strength of our whakapapa.We invite all visitors to hear our stories, and see Tāmaki through our eyes.”

Located in the Museum’s Grand Foyer, Te Taunga Community Hub is a space dedicated to sharing the stories of the diverse communities of Tāmaki Makaurau. Through Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua, visitors will experience an intimate, iwi-led navigation of the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei legacy, resilience, and vision for the future.

Auckland Museum Head of Learning and Public Programmes, Kath McGhie, highlights the significance of the exhibition space.

“The Te Taunga Community Hub is a place where communities can share authentic storytelling about their culture and identity. Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua is an opportunity for Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei to tell their own stories, in their own way, with their own voices,” says McGhie.

As with all exhibitions in Te Taunga Community Hub, Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua has been shaped entirely by the community it represents, from the selection of taonga and imagery to the design and interpretation.

Entry to the exhibition is free for Aucklanders and included with general admission for non-residents.

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