Pacific

Hear about tatau (Sāmoan tattooing), weaving in Tokelau, browse our Pacific collections online, and read blogs.

Cook Islands

There are around 14,800 residents across the Cook Islands, with a significant population living in Aotearoa New Zealand, maintaining strong ties home. Explore Te Papa’s Cook Island collections and stories from the community.

A man is in a small canoe that has a sail in front of part of a Pacific island beach.

Kiribati

The Republic of Kiribati is an island nation of over 32 atolls in Micronesia, in the central Pacific Ocean, with most of its population of over 119,000 living on the island of Tarawa. Find out about Kiribati in our collections.

A barkcloth with boxes drawn on it and each box has an alternating shape

Tapa: barkcloth art in the Pacific

Find out about how tapa has been used, read about wānanga (workshops) contemporary makers, and see the tools used to make tapa and the beautiful taonga (treasures) in our collection.

Dawn Raids in Aotearoa New Zealand

The Dawn Raids were the Government’s promise to ‘get tough’ on law and order and immigration in the 1970s. Raids took place in the early hours of the morning or late at night when police would enter homes to convict and deport so-called ‘over-stayers’.

"Hillary College, Otara, Auckland 1981". From: "Polynesia Here and There", 1981, Auckland, by Glenn Jowitt. Purchased 2001. Te Papa (O.027043)

Pacific cultures books

Books about history and cultures in the Pacific.

Pacific storeroom tour, 2015. Photograph by Michael Hall. Te Papa

Pacific Cultures research

We seek to understand the local and global histories of Pacific peoples, and to document these stories through our collection.

Pacific Cultures research: What we’re working on

Find out about some of our current Pacific Cultures research projects.

Women wearing the same dresses and headwear are sitting in a group. One is playing the guitar and one is singing.

Niue

Discover some of our Niuean stories about our communities and collections from kahoa hihi to katoua, tiputa to titi, the coral atoll to coconut, and more.

Tokelau

Tokelau is in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawai‘i and Aotearoa New Zealand. Find out more about Tokelau through videos, blogs, and an activity book.

A brown wooden-looking ceremonial comb on a pale grey surface

Tonga

Tonga, officially known as the Kingdom of Tonga, and also known as ‘The Friendly Islands’, is a group of islands in the South Pacific. It is currently the only Pacific country with a constitutional monarchy. Read stories and view our collections in connection to Tonga and the people of Tonga.

Red pandanus seed pods joined together and shown in two rows on a white background

Sāmoa

Our collections represent stories of Sāmoa and its people. Explore some of our Sāmoan stories about our collections from Apia to Auckland, tatau to travelling umu boxes, headdresses to hip hop, and more.

A round disc made of turtle shell that has been carved into a pattern.

Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands, an archipelago nation situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, is made up of over 900 islands with rainforests, coastal environments, and coral reefs. The people of the Solomon Islands are primarily Melanesian and the official language is English, however, pidgin English is widely spoken.

Arapata addresses the room standing in front of a cloak draped on a mannequin

Feather cloak and helmet gifted to Captain Cook to return permanently to Hawai‘i

Thu 9 Jul 2020

An ʻahu ʻula (feather cloak) and mahiole (feather helmet) gifted to Captain Cook in 1779 are being permanently returned to Hawaiʻi by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Press release He pānui pāpāho

Tangata o le Moana: The story of Pacific people in New Zealand

Celebrate the story of Pacific people, past and present, in all areas of life.

On now

Long-term exhibition

Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga

Community stories: Taking action for nature

River cleaners, tree planters, possum trappers, and climate crusaders. Explore stories from around Aotearoa New Zealand of communities taking care of their natural environment.

A part of a necklace made of long curved bone sitting on a white surface

Fiji

Fiji – officially the Republic of Fiji – comprises over 800 islands and the official language is English, though most speak Bauan or Hindustani. Find out more about Fiji through our collections, videos, blogs, and a Fijian language activity book.

Voyage and discovery in the Pacific

The history of the discovery of Aotearoa New Zealand goes back a millennium and contains the stories of many fine explorers, from Kupe to Cook. Here, explore Pacific exploration and European colonisation through our taonga, kōrero, and events.

Ferns in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific

Ferns are so prominent in Aotearoa New Zealand, we even wear them on our sporting uniforms. From botany research to citizen science, pressed-fern books of the 1800s to collecting All Blacks and tourism memorabilia, our collectors and curators spend a lot of time with ferns.

Manu Rere Moana

The navigation of the Pacific by waka hourua | double-hulled sailing waka is one of the great achievements of human technology. This exhibition celebrates the mātauranga of celestial navigation that enabled these extraordinary voyages.