Ngā Kākano

The Ngā Kākano kaupapa

Ngā Kākano provides an opportunity for our whānau and wider audiences to engage with respected Māori and Pasifika leaders and experts who share their unique experience, perspectives, expertise and insights, laying seeds of knowledge at Tāmaki Paenga Hira, in Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa and indeed across Te Moana nui a Kiwa. It is a moment in time where indigenous knowledge is brought to the fore and valued, countering the dominant colonial knowledge of things.

Mana, Media and the Polynesian Panther Legacy of Protest

In June 1977, the multilingual Pacific newspaper, Mana, launched its first issue in Tāmaki Makaurau. The newspaper became a meeting place for activists engaged in political, linguistic, cultural and social causes. One of the Mana associate editors was Tigilau Ness, who was also a contributor to the Polynesian Panther RAPP newspaper.

On April 29 2025, Tāmaki Paenga Hira welcomed Lupematasila Melani Anae, Tigilau Ness and Rev Alec Toleafoa in a Ngā Kākano talanoa on Mana, Media and the Polynesian Panther Legacy of protest.

Hosted by ‘Alakihihifo Vailala, who is working at the intersections of activism, media and print as a political reporter, the talanoa was an opportunity to ‘walk backwards into the future’, embrace Matafatafa Aho (a new dawn rising) and ask, “Where to from here?”

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Past Ngā Kākano events

July 2024

Revitalising Te Toki a Tapiri

Join Dr Kahutoi Te Kanawa, Pou Ārahi Curator Māori (Auckland Museum) and Heemi Eruera (Tohunga Tārai Waka) from Te Tapuwae o Te Waka, a school that specialises in the art of building traditional waka, to hear about Tui Tui Tuia – the revitalisation of Te Toki a Tapiri - the majestic waka that holds centre stage in Te Marae Ātea Māori Court. The speakers and kōrero will be facilitated by Nigel Borell, Curator Taonga Māori (Auckland Museum) and member of the project team for Tui Tui Tuia – Revitalising Te Toki a Tapiri.

July 2023

Ola Hou, Revitalising Hula Kiʻi

Through performance, story, and historic visuals and moving images, representatives from three hula lineages will draw the audience into the world of what has been a critically endangered genre of hula, also known as Hawaiian Puppetry, being revived through collective effort.

Spring 2022

Pacific Curatorial Practice through Teu Le Vā

What does Indigenising Curatorial Practice look like through a Pacific lens in museums, what are museums' responsibilities in this and how does change occur in this space?

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September 2022

Te Ao Mārama: The 'space for decolonisation to begin'?

Te Ao Mārama (the Realm of Light) represents a step change in the development of a bicultural and communitarian architecture at Auckland Museum, a building steeped in the formality of the western design tradition. It signals the present and the future of Tāmaki, connecting but also breaking with the Museum’s colonial heritage. Addressing Albert Refiti’s recent provocation, our four speakers explored the extent to which Te Ao Mārama is the ‘space for decolonisation to begin’.

July 2022

Bringing Back the Forgotten: The Ulumate Project

How do you revitalise the making of an indigenous taonga where museums are the only place that you can see them today?

Watch the full discussion online, and read up on our speakers.

December 2020

Decolonising and Indigenising Museums

Fuluhi ki tua ke kitia mitaki a mua
Look to the past to clearly see the way forward

Watch the full discussion online, and read up on our speakers.

May 2020

Rotuma talanoa

A special two-part Ngā Kākano focusing on Rotuma brings members of the Rotuman community together with Museum kaitiaki to showcase and celebrate Rotuman treasures from our collection.

Watch the full discussion online.

+Who has spoken at Ngā Kākano?

December 2020: Decolonising and Indigenising Museums
Moderator: Sandra Kailahi
Keynote Speaker: Emeritus Prof Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku
Sheridan Waitai
Dr Albert Refiti
Nigel Borell
Zech Soakai

November 2019: Hawaiian Music Masters
Bryan Tolentino
Halehaku Seabury

October 2018: Looking to the future to revive the past
Facilitator: Ole Maiava
Daren Kamali
Inise Kaisuni Eremasi
Cora-Allan Wickliffe
Joana Monolagi

+What is the Ngā Kākano series at Auckland Museum?

The Ngā Kākano event series was established at Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Auckland Museum, in 2017 as an opportunity to promote the social and cultural ideas, knowledge and expertise from within our diverse communities, in this case, Maori and Pasifika communities who have a strong association to our world-class cultural collections.

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