Karanga taonga, karanga tangata, karanga whenua |Reversing Cultural Amnesia: Activating Māori Practice in Museums

In 1947, Māori leader, politician, and scholar Apirana Ngata spoke to his scholarly peers at the Polynesian Society, announcing his greatest desire to revive Māori culture as a living force within communities, not be relegated to dead exhibits in museums (Ramsden 1948, 85).

This lecture acknowledges the concerns of visionary leaders and champions of cultural practice and their activation within museums. Through her work as a Māori curator, writer, cultural practitioner and post-doctoral researcher, Awhina Tamarapa advocates for cultural restoration as a form of liberation in a museum context. In her research, Tamarapa is exploring strategies for the recovery and reclamation of taonga puoro (singing treasures) and karetao (animated storytellers) for new generations.

There are challenges regarding taonga held by overseas museums. Concepts such as keeping taonga warm, and mana taonga, recognises the connection and authority of descendants to their taonga, that underpin this work.

The focus on the reclamation of Indigenous practice has been bolstered by working with First Nations, Canada BC. Led by Professor Bryony Onciul, University of Exeter, UK, Tamarapa was privileged to be part of a research project “The Future of Indigenous Rights and Responsibilities: Ancestral governance, environmental stewardship, language revival, and cultural vibrancy” funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK.

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The Michael Volkerling Lecture series is a partnership event with the Museum and Heritage Studies programme at Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington, National Services Te Paerangi and Te Papa Tongarewa. This annual public lecture series recognises the legacy of the late Dr Michael Volkerling who was one of the principal architects of New Zealand's cultural and creative sectors.