Tui tui tuia, 2023

Pictured: Aunty Moeatoa Minhinnick, Aunty Puaha Kaihau, Mum Shelley Thompson at Aunty Ngahina’s shed at our Paa, Tahuna Kaitoto.

Pictured: Roopu who met from all five Iwi including Matahi Brightwell, facilitated by the Auckland Museum.

About

In 2023, the Auckland Museum initiated the Tui Tui Tuia project to restore and revitalize Te Toki a Tapiri, one of Aotearoa’s most significant waka taua. This project brings together five iwi connected to the waka—Ngāti Matawhāiti, Rongowhakaata, Ngāpuhi, Ngaati Te Ata, and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei—to restore not only the waka's physical structure but also its spiritual and traditional practices.

Central to this effort is the expertise of practitioners in raranga from each iwi. These weavers have harvested harakeke from their own rohe to prepare muka for re-lashing the waka. This process restores the traditional knowledge of weaving and binding waka taua while strengthening the relationships between the iwi involved.