Te Kāmata Kura

He kōwhatu manea: Te Kāmata Kura

E whakatinana ana a Te Kāmata Kura i te whakahirahira o ngā taonga tuku iho i ngā kohinga ataata-rongo e purihia nei e Ngā Taonga. He kupu whakarite a kāmata arā te kāmaka, he kupu tawhito e pā ana ki te tihi o te rau me te kura, te tae whakahirahira e tohu ana i te mana.

This manea stone, Te Kāmata Kura, was created by Bernard Makoare, a prominent artist from Te Tai Tokerau to mark the Archive’s move to the National Library building in September 2019. Bernard’s work reflects his heritage, environs and the importance he places on whanaungatanga and relationships between people, places and significant objects. Te Kāmata Kura is currently in the main foyer of the National Library building, Molesworth Street, Wellington.

Te Kāmata Kura symbolises the rich heritage contained in the audiovisual collections cared for by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Kāmata is a play on kāmaka, a traditional term that refers to the tip of a leaf and kura (red) is a significant colour of status and a metaphor for mana.

In the video below, Bernard Makoare talks about the stone and its making.