He hononga Tiriti – Ka mahi ngātahi a Te Manatū Taonga ki te taha o te iwi me te hapū hei manaaki hei tiaki i ngā taonga tuku iho.

Today we are pleased to launch the third video in the series He Hononga Taonga, He Hononga Tīpuna, which provides a spotlight into some of the current conservation projects happening in the taonga tūturu space.

This video features former Tumu Whakarae Chief Executive of Manatū Taonga Bernadette Cavanagh who, along with former Pou Arataki Manager of Te Pae Māpuna Imelda Bargas and current Pou Arataki Kartini Havell, supported our taonga tūturu team to transition to a new model of conservation. This new model aims to be more responsive to the needs of communities outside of the main centres and strengthen Māori/Crown relationships involved in this mahi.

The video also features the famed Anaweka waka, which is one of the earliest dated taonga and exemplifies Polynesian voyaging. Radiocarbon dated to approximately 1250 AD, Anaweka Waka spent centuries buried in an estuary. When it was discovered in late 2011, the waka needed extensive conservation work, which has been underway ever since in Golden Bay. Manawhenua ki Mōhua have been working with a team of remote conservators to manage the day to day care and conservation of the waka. The waka is about to begin its control-drying process under the leadership of Rose Evans (Te Atiawa), with support from Auckland War Memorial Museum. 

The video also features shots of an assemblage which was discovered in north Taranaki when roadworks revealed the taonga buried in a wetland long thought to be dry. This was the first project which was delivered under the new model of conservation services which began two years ago. 

The new model draws on a panel of suppliers based around the country, rather than one supplier based in Auckland. Rae-Hinerau (Ngāti Manaipoto, Ngāti Tama) makes a comment in the video about how important it was for her that the taonga be treated by its uri in the rohe it was found. This project was set up through iwi and a locally based conservator working together to create a conservation model that fits their needs, incorporating western science and Mātauranga Māori to ensure the best possible care for the taonga.

Check out the new video below: 

Subtitles are available in te reo Pākehā or te reo Māori. Head to settings to change switch between languages.