Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Senior Curator Mātauranga Māori Dougal Austin discusses a hoe urunga carved by Tohunga Whakairo Clive Fugill (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Raukawa, and Ngāti Rangiwewehi) on display as part of He Toi Whakairo: The Art of Māori Carving.
Transcript
Opening 29 August 2026: Experience over 140 whakairo (carvings) spanning seven centuries – many never exhibited before. He Toi Whakairo showcases creativity, ancestral narratives, and contemporary innovation. Every carving is an expression of artistic excellence and human dignity.
Opening 29 Aug 2026
29 Aug 2026 – August 2031
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga
Hoe urunga (steering paddle) by Clive Fugill, tōtara (wood), pāua (abalone shell), 2001. Purchased 2016. Te Papa (ME024210)
Find out about navigating the Pacific, the knowledge revival of building of waka hourua (double-hulled vessels) and navigation, and sharing the mātauranga (Māori knowledge) and experiences in the process.
