Exhibitions On now

A group of Māori men lift a waka onto the shore

He Kaupapa Waka A Fleet of Waka

E kau ki te tai e, e kau ki te tai e!

Tēnei rā te mihi e rere nei ki ngā mātua, ki ngā tūpuna nā rātou ēnei tāonga i tuku iho ki a tātou ngā uri whakatupu.

He kaupapa waka ki tai, he kaupapa tangata ki uta. Ka ea, ka ea, ka ea ngā moemoeā ō Tā Hemi Henare rāua ko Te Puea Herangi. Ka whakatinanahia ngā mahi a Ariki Moana Hekenukumai Ngāiwi Pūhipi, a Wiremu Wiremu, otirā, rātou ngā kaihautū, ngā kaiurungi me ngā kaihoe o te kaupapa waka kua tere atu rā ki Hawaiki Nui, ki Hawaiki Roa, ki Hawaiki Pāmamāo, tau atu.

Tahuri mai ki a tātou te kanohi ora e hoe tonu nei i o tātou waka ki te āpōpō, tihei mauri ora!

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Celebrate the thriving waka community.

See powerful photos of the waka fleet that gathered on Waitangi Day in 2020 to commemorate the 80-year anniversary of the 1940 launch of Ngātokimatawhāorua – named after the ancestral waka that made the voyage from Hawaiki to Aotearoa.

Immerse yourself in Tiki Taane’s soundscape, and touch the work of master carvers. Smell the scent of freshly carved kauri as you follow the waka’s journey from sea to shore.

  • When | Āhea 12 Nov 2022 – late 2023
  • Where | Ki hea Mana Whenua, Level 4
  • Cost | Te utu Free entry
  • Accessibility | E wātea ana ki
    • Wheelchair accessible
    • Variable lighting
    • No photography

    Find out more about accessibility at Te Papa

This exhibition was curated and created by Te Rawhitiroa Bosch alongside the waka community. All photos are by Te Rawhitiroa Bosch unless otherwise stated.

About the soundscape in He Kaupapa Waka

This immersive soundscape created by Tiki Taane weaves together voices and sounds of the past with those of the present, connecting us to those who have come before. It tells the story of waka, from the forest to the sea and back.

“I’m honoured to be part of He Kaupapa Waka … capturing and creating something timeless that can be enjoyed for generations to come.”

– Tiki Taane

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