MEDIA STATEMENT
FOR RELEASE: Tuesday 10 May

Returning Maori Head to Be Accompanied by French Senators

A delegation of members of the France–New Zealand Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Senate of France will be visiting Parliament from Wednesday, 11 May for three days, Dr The Rt Hon Lockwood Smith, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives announced today.

The delegation is led by Mr Marcel Deneux, Senator for the Somme and Friendship Group President. Also in the delegation are Ms Catherine Morin-Desailly, Senator for Seine-Maritime, Mr Richard Tuheiava, Senator for French Polynesia, and Mr Robert Laufoaulu, Senator for the Wallis and Futuna Islands.

The primary reason for the delegation’s visit is the repatriation of a toi moko (preserved Māori head) previously held in the Rouen museum. “This is the first repatriation of Māori remains from France following a legislative change adopted in May 2010 to specifically allow toi moko to return to New Zealand”, Dr Smith said.

There will be a tangi for the toi moko at Te Papa on Thursday, 12 May, after a formal repatriation ceremony in Rouen, France, the week prior. Toi moko from Swedish, German and Norwegian museums will also be returned at the tangi.

Whilst in New Zealand, the delegation have expressed an interest in learning more about Māori culture, as well as taking the opportunity to discuss agriculture and sustainable development. As a result the delegation will meet Dame Claudia Orange, Director of Collections and Research of Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, the Hon David Carter, Minister of Agriculture, and Dr Jan Wright, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.

ENDS

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