2026 media releases

Te Papa is marking Matariki with a vibrant programme, guided by this year’s theme, Matariki herenga waka, which acknowledges the stories, traditions and mātauranga carried by waka, and the voyages that bring people together.

Ka whitu rautau. Ka kotahi rau e whā tekau ngā taonga. He toi ora, he toi tupu. Ko te pou tāne tēnei o te pātaka whakairo whakairinga kōrero ka tū ki Te Papa.

Ka uakina ko He Toi Whakairo: The Art of Māori Carving he pātaka whakairinga kōrero tūnga roa ki Te Papa hei te 29 o Ākuhata, 2026. Ka takapauria atu ngā kura whakairo matawhānui i roto i te whā tekau tau koni atu, nō te taiāwhionga o Te Maori i Amerika Tōpū.

Seven centuries. 147 taonga. One living, shape-shifting artform. Māori carving is taking centre stage at Te Papa.

He Toi Whakairo: The Art of Māori Carving is a major new long-term exhibition opening at Te Papa on 29 August 2026. It presents one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of whakairo (Māori carving) in more than four decades, when the historic Te Maori exhibition toured the USA.

From a 15th-century flute to a hot pink poupou panel, a major new exhibition at New Zealand’s national museum shines a spotlight on the enduring art of Māori carving.

Opening on 29 August 2026 at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, He Toi Whakairo: The Art of Māori Carving brings together 147 taonga (treasures) one of the most comprehensive exhibitions of whakairo (Māori carving) in more than four decades.