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Inside the Mana Whenua exhibition

Mana Whenua

Experience powerful stories that celebrate Māori as tangata whenua – the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand.

In Mana Whenua, explore the richness of Māori life and heritage through taongataonga treasures, oral histories, and contemporary art works. Encounter taonga tuku ihotaonga tuku iho treasures handed down ranging from weaving, carving, and pounamupounamu greenstone pendants, to wakawaka canoes and wharewhare buildings.

TamarikiTamariki children can explore te ao Māorite ao Māori the Māori world through activities in the Te Huka ā Tai Discovery Centre next door.

Plan your visit
  • When | Āhea Permanent exhibition
  • Where | Ki hea Level 4
  • Cost | Te utu Free entry
  • Ages | Te reanga All ages
  • Allow | Me whakarite 30 minutes
  • Accessibility | E wātea ana ki
    • Wheelchair accessible (Please note that the inside of Te Hau ki Tūranga is not accessible by a wheelchair, mobility scooter, or similar.)
    • Variable lighting
    • No photography

    Find out more about accessibility at Te Papa

Highlights

  • Teremoe – a waka tauawaka taua war canoe from the Whanganui region, used in battles during the New Zealand wars of the mid 1800s.
  • Tchakat Moriori – the story of Moriori, the original inhabitants of the remote islands of Rēkohu, also known as the Chatham Islands or Wharekauri.
  • Te Aurere – the ancestral voyages from Hawaiki, a distant place of origin, presented through the journey of Te Aurere, a modern voyaging waka.
  • Te Hau ki Tūranga – an exceptional meeting house at the heart of the iwiiwi tribal exhibition Ko Rongowhakaata: The Story of Light and Shadow, and also at the core of Mana Whenua. 

Activities

  • Activity book: Te reo Māori activity book

    Te reo Māori activity book

    Celebrate Māori language by learning Māori words and phrases through simple activities. Download two free activity books for kids – focused on pronunciation, the other includes more word searches, crossword, colouring pages, and stories.

  • Education resource: Kids’ activity trails

    Kids’ activity trails

    Use our fun activity trails to get the most out of your self-guided visit to Te Papa.

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