In this edition, we share newly preserved footage of Wellington in 1908 and an update about the Tangata Whenua series. We also share our latest blog and report back from a special event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Te Māori at Waiwhetū Marae.
We recently had the opportunity to preserve and supply footage of Wellington city for the Kiriata o Poneke exhibition – now on at Wellington Museum. One of the newly preserved items, footage of the 1908 Dominion Day celebrations at the Basin Reserve, has been added to the online collection.
Captured in the footage is the arrival of dignitaries by horse and carriage, a large children’s rally, and an address by then-Prime Minister, Sir Joseph George. Also featured are a considerable number of bowler and feather hats – evidently very much in fashion at the time.
The 1974 television series Tangata Whenua: The People of the Land was recently inscribed into the UNESCO Memory of the World register. Ngā Taonga is proud to care for Tangata Whenua, and to have digitally preserved the groundbreaking series in 4K resolution in 2022. The new preservation is available to watch for free on TVNZ+.
Memory of the World aims to recognise significant documentary heritage similarly to the way UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention and World Heritage List recognises significant natural and cultural sites.
Kaimahi from Ngā Taonga recently attended a large gathering at Waiwhetū Marae in Lower Hutt to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Te Māori.
Prominent Māori leader and former Deputy Chairman of Te Māori Management Committee, Tā Hirini Moko Mead was the distinguished guest of honour at the 2-day event hosted by Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust.
A small-scale exhibition to commemorate the 40th anniversary was set up in Te Māori Cultural Centre across the road from the marae, where we screened a number of archival taonga relating to Te Māori.
The theme for the first day 'Te Ohāki: The Legacy of Te Maori' included a number of speakers including Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi, Darcy Nicholas, Selwyn & Hekia Parata, Pakake Winiata, Derek Fox, Trevor Maxwell and others who reflected on the vision of Te Māori and what the exhibition achieved.
Day two 'Ngā Taonga: The influence of Te Māori' looked at how the successful exhibition influenced the lives of rangatahi. Our own Tumu Whakarae, Honiana Love and Pou Ārahi, Paul Meredith, shared their experiences working as kaimanaaki, or hosts, during Te Māori: Te Hokinga Mai – The Return Home tour.
Kei ngā ringa houhere o Te Āti Awa, ko koutou te whakatinanatanga o 'Te Arohanui ki te Tangata', e kore te puna mihi e waimeha e mimiti.
In our latest blog, we hear from three members of the Ngā Taonga leadership team who were involved in the landmark Te Māori exhibition when it returned to New Zealand shores in 1986. Learn about their involvement and the impact that the exhibition had on the trajectory of their careers.
1) Screengrab from DOMINION DAY CELEBRATIONS (WELLINGTON): CHILDREN’S DEMONSTRATION [BASIN RESERVE, WELLINGTON]. Collection ref. F8276.
2) Tangata Whenua title graphic. Credit: TVNZ, Ngā Taonga.
3) Collage of images from Te Māori anniversary event at Waiwhetū Marae. Created by Ngā Taonga kaimahi.
4) Screengrab from MISC-FEATURES - TE MAORI CLOSING (TE POROPOROAKI) - THE PEOPLE SAY FAREWELL. Collection reference TZP85098. Credit: TVNZ / Te Reo Tātaki o Aotearoa.
