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Taonga exhibited for Tūtehuarewa centenary

Read about how our Christchurch office contributed to the recent exhibition for the centenary of the whare Tūtehuarewa at Koukourarata Port Levy.

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12 June 2023

Taonga from the archives were recently part of an exhibition for the centenary of the whare Tūtehuarewa at Koukourarata Port Levy.

Curated by Senior Researcher Helen Brown of the Ngāi Tahu Archive, it featured items from our Christchurch regional office. The exhibition ran from 7 to 9 April 2023.

Helen Brown stands at a podium and addresses the audience
Senior Researcher Helen Brown of the Ngāi Tahu Archive speaks at the exhibition

3 items documenting the whenua on which the whare is located were displayed alongside other taonga relating to the history of the area and the people of Koukourarata, including:

  • a survey map showing 1,361-acre reserve situated at Koukourarata, set aside as part of the Port Levy Purchase 1849

  • a larger survey map of the Port Levy Block and the Koukourarata | Port Levy Native Reserve 874 showing land set aside as part of the Port Levy Purchase in 1849

  • a Native Reserves crown grants book showing the issuing of a Crown Grant for the Port Levy Native Reserve to the Ngāti Tūtehuarewa hapū.

2 people stand in front of a display case and look down at what’s inside
Exhibition visitors look at the taonga in the display cases
A large group of people sits on the floor of the exhibition space, listening to the speaker
It was a full house, with many people gathered to listen to speakers at the exhibition

Helen Brown described how important it was to have these taonga at Koukourarata:

“These taonga are powerful. They are a tangible record and a poignant reminder of the British takeover of Māori land in the nineteenth century. They also contain rich information including whānau names, place names, and landscape features. It was very special to have these taonga inside Tūtehuarewa surrounded by Koukourarata whānau who were able to engage directly with them and learn more about their significance.” 

Members of the Christchurch team had the privilege of bringing the taonga onto the marae. Regional Archivist Joanna Condon found it a moving experience:

“Being able to reunite these taonga with the people and whenua whose history they embody is what being an archivist is all about. These are living documents and our whole reason for preserving and protecting them is to be able to share them.”  

The Christchurch regional team have been co-located with the Ngāi Tahu Archive team since late 2020. This has enabled easy collaboration on community outreach activities such as this.