Project one: Kiribati Arts and Weavers Community
Tāmaki Paenga Hira has one of the best late 19th and early 20th century Kiribati collections, which is of key importance to local Kiribati makers. Discussions with the makers have led to accessing collections to study and learn older techniques, and to revitalise practices of making including tibuta blouses and pandanas weaving, which have been showcased in public performances at the Museum and Britomart.
Project two: Solomon Aelan Kastom Arts and Weavers
The Solomon Aelan Kastom Arts and Weavers groups have been hosting large community workshops, exploring weaving practices including grass skirts, table mats, woven mats, panpipes, kuza (string bag), traditional necklaces, bracelets and stenciling traditional motifs and designs on canvas. The weavers have invited experts to share their practice with the wider community. Their latest project is for the whole group to collectively weave a mat together.
Project three: Kahukura Kollective
A roopu of experienced Tai Tokerau (Northland) mainly Māori weavers have formed this collective for kākahu weaving. The group have intensively studied the Museum's kākahu collection, especially those from Tai Tokerau, to inform research and to collectively produce a single, significant kākahu based on their findings.
Project four: Te Roopu Whatu Kakahu
Wānanga have been held at Museum with this roopu of weavers from Whitianga, who are interested in the styles and techniques of kakahu from the rohe and their own individual iwi and whakapapa. The weavers have used these visits to draw upon the Museum’s collections to build knowledge, share and develop skills, and produce kākahu of their own based on this.
Project five: Mikehe Moriori Research
A collaboration forged through another community project, the Moriori Weaving and Research project aims to examine and document Miheke Moriori and related taonga Māori and Pacific. This has been pursued through a haerenga beginning at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum and moving on to various libraries and museums across Aotearoa, including Puke Ariki, Te Papa Tongarewa, the National Library, Otago Museum, the Hocken Library and Canterbury Museum.
Project 6: Ngā Whiri a Raukatauri
Dr Awhina Tamarapa is using Te Aho Mutunga Kore to investigate textile use in taonga puoro and karetao (musical instruments and puppetry). In collaboration with renowned material culture expert Dante Bonica, Dr Tamarapa has researched Auckland Museum’s small but significant taonga puroro and karetao collection and used these findings to host a research and making wānanga in Hongoeka.
Project 7: He Aho Tuwhiri ki te Ao mārama
Adjacent to Awhina’s kaupapa is kaiako Tracey Patete’s research and fabrication practice into early tāniko techniques, and their potential hononga/connections into Pacific design and history. This research is being shared with her tauira to inform their own practices.
Project 8: Kete Iti
Maureen Lander has been working with weaving rōpu in Tai Tokerau,Tāmaki, Ngāmotu and Whanganui on a kete iti project (small woven bags). The Tai Tokerau and Tamaki rōpu have delved deeply into Auckland Museum’s large collection of kete iti, to research and be inspired to produce their own kete iti. A selection of these will be exhibited at the Govett Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth in mid 2025.
Project 9: Te Aho o Rahiri
Te Hemo Ata Henare has been using her kaupapa in Te Aho Mutunga Kore to open the door of the museum to Maunga Kura Toi tauira, connected to whanau, hapu and Iwi within Te Tai Tokerau. Each roopu have been intensively exploring a diverse range of the museum’s collection for their research into and production of textile based taonga for their marae and final year projects.
Project 10: Mana Whenua: Mana Wahine: Mana Whariki
Matekino Lawless and Christina Wirihana have been hosting marae based wānanga to explore and teach the significance of whāriki (woven mats), and their associated tikanga. This has included the storage and care of whāriki on marae, tauira (sample) fabrication to understand the practice of mahi whāriki, and the display/arrangement of whāriki in marae based on the event.
Britomart Exhibition Project
Te Aho Mutunga Kore has undertaken a broad collaboration with both our community groups and Māori and Pacific kaimahi at Auckland Museum to produce a public photographic exhibition in the Britomart Precinct. Around 30 community members and staff were invited to select taonga from the Musuem’s collection that they felt a personal or cultural hononga (connection) to. Photographs were taken of them holding or wearing these taonga, which were then displayed in large format outdoors at Britomart over the summer of 2023/2024.
If you are part of a Māori or Pasifika community group who would like to be considered for participation in future Te Aho Mutunga Kore projects, we’d love to hear from you. Register your interest here and our team will be in touch.