The Beauties of Rongomaraeroa

Two top images courtesy of Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

The first time I saw Te Marae at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, I was gobsmacked by the rainbow of coloured light that was seeping across the forecourt – reflections from the beautiful stained glass windows behind me (which I’ll show you another time). It took me some time to re-focus on the stunning carvings that decorate the wharenui (Te Hono Ki Hawaiki) and in the many times I’ve seen them since, I’ve been no less impressed.

Wellington April 2009. Ajr
Rongomaraeroa is the name given to the marae, which was created by master carver, Cliff Whiting and the Maori advisory group to Te Papa, Nga Kaiwawao, who aimed to create a fully functional contemporary marae within the museum – “one that would embrace the concept of mana taonga and the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.” It was opened in 1997 and is “the museum’s response to the challenge of creating an authentic yet inclusive marae (communal meeting place) for the 21st century.” In addition to serving as ‘a living marae’ it is also an exhibition in its own right, designed to give visitors an insight into the meaning of the marae experience. It is also – obviously – a beautiful showcase of contemporary Maori arts and crafts; and a reflection of both the nation’s and Te Papa’s bicultural identity. “All people have the right to stand on this marae through a shared whakapapa (genealogy) and the mana (power) of the taonga (treasures) held in Te Papa collections.” It is a place for all cultures and all iwi (tribes). www.tepapa.govt.nz

Capital Culture

Civic Square, Wellington. April 2009. Ajr

This is Te Aho a Maui (Maui's Line), in Wellington's Civic Square.

Maui is the legendary figure who fished up the North Island. The design is symbolic of the land meeting the sea - and in fact it follows on from the City to Sea Bridge that I wrote about here on Monday and last Saturday. Te Aho a Maui is represented by the terracotta paving unravelling from the mountains to the sea. The mountain and adjacent waterfalls represent and reflect the complexities of New Zealand's heritage.

The Head of the Fish Speaks

Image & Loggo Supplied by NZ Maori Tourism Council

Visitors and New Zealanders flying into the country can now see our capital city, Wellington, through Maori eyes thanks to a new documentary-style film available on Air New Zealand flights. The New Zealand Maori Tourism Council (NZMTC), the Maori regional organisation, Te Ara a Maui and Positively Wellington worked together to create the 18-minute film, which tells the story of Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui – the Head of the Fish of Maui. The film is currently featured on Air New Zealand’s in-flight entertainment system and is the first of a number of films planned as part of the NZMTC’s Living Landscape Strategy – a promotional framework that introduces the regions of New Zealand from a Maori view and adds significant value to the portrayal of the New Zealand experience. Living Landscapes expresses the important connection that New Zealanders, and particularly Maori, have to the land through genealogy and legends such as the Fish of Maui. You can see the new film on the Te Ara a Maui website – www.taamtourism.co.nz – plus another called Te Tau Ihu o te Waka a Maui – The Prow of Maui’s Waka, which features the top of the South Island. www.maoritourism.co.nz www.livinglandscapes.co.nz