Please note: we will be closing early on Friday 24 (4:30pm) and Saturday 25 June (5pm).
Come celebrate Matariki with us! View our Mānawatia a Matariki programme
Please note: we will be closing early on Friday 24 (4:30pm) and Saturday 25 June (5pm).
Come celebrate Matariki with us! View our Mānawatia a Matariki programme
Learn how to preserve fabric and other textiles.
Prolong the life of your treasured textiles and clothing by storing and treating them appropriately. This resource guide, from National Services Te Paerangi, shows you how.
For advice on caring for dresses visit The Australian Dress Register.
Textiles are particularly vulnerable to damage and deterioration. If in doubt, ask a professional conservator.
Wet cleaning or washing can have irreversible results. If in doubt, ask a professional conservator.
TaongaTaonga treasures made of Māori textiles are usually made from plant material, often harakekeharakeke flax, or animal material such as wool, feathers, or hair. Like other textiles, their preservation requires careful attention. This guide, from National Services Te Paerangi, shows you how to store and treat Māori textiles.
See how Te Papa’s conservators treated these different materials:
Samoan titi (dance skirt)
Wedding dress, 1920
Kaitaka paepaeroa (cloak)
Stabilising black dyed fibres
Kia mau roa ai ngā taonga pueru, me tika te whakamaru, me āta tiaki hoki. Toro mai ki tēnei rauemi tohutohu a National Services Te Paerangi mō ngā whakamārama.
Kei konei anō, The Australian Dress Register ētahi tohutohu mō āta tiaki i ngā kākahu.
Ka raru ngā pueru i te wā, i te mākū, i te pae mahana rānei. Ki te kore koe e mōhio, toro atu ki tētahi kaitauwhiro.
Te ūkui
Tērā ka raru rawa te taonga pueru i te horoi mā te wai, e kore a muri e hokia. Ki te kore koe e mōhio, toro atu ki tētahi kaitauwhiro.
Me he mōhio koe, e kore rawa tō taonga pueru e raru i te hororē, kia ngāwari, kia māmā te mahi a te hororē, me mau tētahi papa ngaiaku i waenganui i te ngongo o te hororē me te pueru.
He mea hanga te nuinga o ngā taonga pueru Māori ki ngā rawa o te taiao, he harakeke, he rawa kararehe rānei pēnei me te wūru, te huruhuru manu, te huruhuru kurī rānei. Pērā ki ētahi atu pueru, ki te mau tika, me tika anō te mahi, me āta tiaki. Kei tēnei rauemi nā National Services Te Paerangi, ngā tohutohu e āta pupuri, e āta tiakina ai ngā pueru Māori.
Mātakitaki mai i ngā kairokiroki a Te Papa e āta tiaki ana i ngā momo pueru:
Samoan titi (dance skirt)
Wedding dress, 1920
Kaitaka paepaeroa (cloak)
Stabilising black dyed fibres