Te Mātātuhi ki Te Papa: a celebration of the living art of moko kanohi
Cultural minds through cultural lines
Nau mai, haere mai, tautoko mai! – come, enjoy, celebrate!
Te Uhi ā Mataora, a national collective of tā moko artists, will revive the practise of tūpuna (ancestors) through the artistry of tā moko (Māori skin markings) and the continuation of whakapapa (genealogy) over a three-day, public event that celebrates the living art of moko kanohi (facial tattooing).
From 29 September to 1 October, Te Mātātuhi ki Te Papa will take over Rongomaraeroa for this special mokopapa, featuring live moko kanohi, displays of taonga (cultural treasures), public kōrero (talks), and connection.
Both tāne (men) and wāhine (women) will receive moko kanohi during the mokopapa, applied by tā moko tohunga (experts) Tā Derek Lardelli, Riki Manuel, Mark Kopua, Raniera McGrath, Maia Gibbs, Henare Brooking, Joni Brooking, and Ngaire Tuhua.
Witnessing moko kanohi live is a rare and extraordinary experience, one that usually takes place in a private ceremony.
To acknowledge the significance of this kaupapa, media are invited to attend and film the mokopapa, but need to register in advance: RSVP heather.byrne@tepapa.govt.nz.
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Background
Over the past year, Te Uhi ā Mataora, guided by Tā Derek Lardelli and supported by Toi Māori Aotearoa, have spent time with and studied over 200 Toi Moko (Māori ancestral heads) that were returned home through the Karanga Aotearoa Repatriation Programme.
The expert kaitā (moko practitioners) have studied these ancestors, comparing moko patterns with whakairo (Māori carvings) and historic whakaahua (photographs and portraits) in the Te Papa collection. Their rangahau (research) has revealed profound connections between moko and whakairo, linking them to whare wānanga (schools of practise), rohe (regions) and iwi across the motu (country).
Dr Arapata Hakiwai, Kaihautū | Te Papa Māori Co-leader, acknowledges the importance of this event, how it honours the journey of these repatriated Toi moko and shares the ancestral knowledge carried within their designs.
“Te Papa is honoured to host this mokopapa. We know the trade of our ancestors is a dark history, but kaupapa like this can offer a sense of restoration and bring some healing, reconciliation and light to our tūpuna.
On the first theme of the mokopapa, Matauri and our past, Dr Hakiwai says, “Te Uhi ā Mataora has conducted their research with care, aroha and respect, building relationships with the toi moko. Through this mokopapa, we open a window into the excellence, innovation, practice and art of our tā moko practitioners of the time.”
While western records of stolen tūpuna are scarce, mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) reveals another layer of knowledge: the adulating lines of moko, carved with precision by tohunga, hold whakapapa, signatures, and histories.
“Applying indigenous learnings from practitioners, led by the mātauranga of their practice, adds pieces to the puzzle of provenance research and provides immense value to museology and research,” adds Dr Hakiwai.
In addition to live tā moko sessions, visitors will walk through the whakapapa of moko through displays of taonga, whakairo (carvings), drawings, and portraits of tūpuna who wore moko kanohi; engage in wānanga (learnings) with artists and moko wearers; and explore the rich history and significance of moko. The mokopapa is a safe and welcoming environment that allows our tamariki and mokopuna to experience this rare kaupapa and learn through fun activities in the special tamariki zone.
Tamahou Temara, General Manager of Toi Māori Aotearoa speaks to the second theme of the mokopapa, Matatea and our present, and the resurgence, vitality and resilience of the practice, movement and art of tā moko.
“Toi Māori Aotearoa is honoured to support and promote Māori art, and in this instance the art and practise of moko via the national collective of Te Uhi ā Mataora.
“This ensures the vitality and flourishing of this art form in accordance with tikanga Māori and promotes the development of wairua and spiritual and cultural welfare to ensure the visual language of moko is respected.
“This kaupapa draws from and acknowledges the mahi toi of our tūpuna and transfers this knowledge and practise to our people today. It’s a potent and vital expression of mahi toi with benefits in service to iwi, the nation and placing the art of moko at the centre of our cultural identity internationally.”
Tā Derek Lardelli, representing Te Uhi ā Mataora speaks to the third theme of the mokopapa, Mataora and our flourishing future, the thread of being tupuna-led and moving forward striving for excellence in moko.
“Spending time with our tūpuna and building relationships provided an opportunity to look through a lens using a form of whakapapa that is progressively growing on the faces of our people through moko.
“It’s abundantly clear that there is an education through the vehicle of moko on what needs to happen for the future – it is all around mokopuna (te puna o te moko) the future for our taonga and our children.
“The rangahau has provided a thinking mechanism around our language, our visual language, and how we look at moko. There is a thread between the past, now and our future and Te Mātātuhi, is the ability to breathe life into our tūpuna once again by applying our learnings to our people and an education for our mokopuna.
“In a time when much has been taken, moko stands strong. Moko is resilience. Moko is identity. Moko is alive.”
Event details
Live moko applications | Mon-Wed, 9am-3pm
Waiata and kapa haka performances | Mon-Wed, 9am-3pm
Tamariki zone | Mon-Wed, 9am-3pm
Public kōrero: Matatea| Tues 30 Sep, 4-6pm
Hear from guest speakers who wear moko kanohi in different spaces and realms like practitioners, politicians, artists, and singers.
Public kōrero: Mataora | Wed 1 Oct, 4-6pm
Hear from the artists and recipients of Te Mātātuhi ki Te Papa sharing their experience.
More info: https://tepapa.nz/Mātātuhi
ENDS
Media contact Heather Byrne | 029 601 0120 | heather.byrne@tepapa.govt.nz
Photos and captions
Please note that this content is being supplied to you for the purposes of Tē Mātātuhi ki Te Papa press release only. Media may not crop, alter, or edit the images in any way without Te Papa’s prior permission. The content must be fully attributed as per the provided credit line(s).
Image captions
Maia Gibbs. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Henare Brooking. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Riki Manuel. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Raniera McGrath. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Ngaire Tuhua. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Joni Brooking. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Professor Ahorangi Sir Derek Lardelli. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Mark Kopua. Photo courtesy of the artist.
Moko on Te Marae, 2014. Te Papa (29212)
Notes to editor
About Te Uhi ā Mataora
Te Uhi ā Mataora is a national collective of tā moko artists in Aotearoa, established in the early 2000s. The rōpū is dedicated to preserving, enhancing and developing tā moko as a living art form, upholding the traditions of the past.
Many of these highly skilled artists come from a background in whakairo. They share a depth of understanding of Māori art forms and design.
Te Uhi observes a strong kaupapa for the practice of tā moko. This kaupapa (set of fundamental Māori principles) provides boundaries and guidelines: respect for traditional customs and practice; care for physical, spiritual and emotional well-being; and utmost care for the health and safety of the person receiving moko.
Tā moko belongs within Māori communities and Te Uhi works to strengthen the knowledge of the art in whānau (family), hapū (sub-tribes) and iwi (tribes). But there is also a strong international interest in Māori moko design, through the tattoo industry. Te Uhi continues to address pressing issues concerning the intellectual property of moko and ensure that tā moko is always practised with integrity.
This three-day kaupapa is part of the collective’s ongoing commitment to preserving, enhancing, and developing tā moko as a living art form rooted in ancestral knowledge and cultural identity.
About Karanga Aotearoa
The Karanga Aotearoa Repatriation Programme is an indigenous-led and government-mandated authority, dedicated to the return of Māori and Moriori ancestral remains (kōiwi tangata and kōimi tangata) to Aotearoa and Rēkohu from institutions and public and private collections around the world.
Established in 2003 and led by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the programme is guided by its Repatriation Advisory Panel consisting of Māori and Moriori community leaders, advocates, tikanga and tikane specialists, and arts practitioners, and aims to acknowledge and reconcile the harm caused by the historical theft, illicit trade, and removal of Māori and Moriori ancestral remains from their whānau and wāhi tapu.
Karanga Aotearoa works with patience, diplomacy, and cultural integrity to negotiate the return of tūpuna who were taken during colonial times, often stolen, traded, or collected under unethical circumstances. These ancestors are welcomed home through formal pōwhiri and cared for in Te Papa wāhi tapu (sacred repository) until their final resting place is determined in consultation with descendant communities.
About Te Papa
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is Aotearoa New Zealand's much-loved national museum, located in Wellington.
Te Papa houses the national art collection and a major research facility, and is kaitiaki (guardian) of over two million objects across Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge), Natural History, Art, New Zealand Histories, and Pacific Cultures. Its online collection offers access to over 1 million of these taonga (treasures).
As one of New Zealand's most well-known and trusted brands, it’s also world-renowned for its foundation in biculturalism, research partnerships, and internationally significant work in the repatriation of Māori and Moriori ancestral remains from collections worldwide.
The museum is free for all New Zealanders.