Te Māori – United States of America tour 1984-1986
Te Māori was exhibited at four major American Museums from 1984 through to 1986 during its United States of America tour.
Hero image: Te Māori exhibition banner at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Collection Reference: TZP8386. Year: 1984. Credit: TVNZ.
Te Māori first opened at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (Met) on 10 September 1984. It toured three further locations in the USA including the St Louis Art Museum Missouri, the de Young Museum San Francisco and the Chicago Field Museum.
In this selection of archival taonga we highlight the dawn opening ceremonies led by Māori kaumātua. Te Māori was accompanied by support groups of kaumātua at every venue, who played a dominant role in the welcoming and opening ceremonies. Cultural teams including weavers, carvers, and performers also travelled with the exhibition, visiting schools, and demonstrating their crafts at every venue.
The USA tour closed at the Chicago Field Museum on June 8, 1986, with over 621,000 visitors going through the exhibition.
The success of Te Māori overseas raised the status of Māori art in New Zealand and created a new awareness of its importance and place in New Zealand society.
Kaleidoscope: Te Māori
This excerpt from a 1984 Kaleidoscope episode features the opening of Te Māori exhibition at The Met.
This item features interviews with Sir James Henare, Win Cochrane (NZ Cultural Ambassador), John Rangihau, Roland Force (Director Indian Museum), and Sir Hirini Moko Mead.
Collection Reference: TZP7889. Year: 1984. Credit: TVNZ, Sir Hirini Moko Mead, John Rangihau, Sir James Henare.
Koha: Te Māori, a cloak of words
This 1984 episode from Koha features the delegation party at the opening ceremony, Met.
Tohunga, Sonny Waru (Taranaki Iwi) leads the formal proceedings. Chairman of the Met, J Richardson Dilworth welcomes the visitors and Sir James Henare responds on behalf of iwi Māori.
Former Minister of Māori Affairs, Koro Wetere concludes the formalities followed by a kapa haka performance. Sir James Henare conducts a prayer in front of the sacred Tainui taonga Uenuku.
Collection Reference: TZP8386. Year: 1984. Credit: TVNZ, Koro Wetere, Rovina Maniapoto-Anderson, Shane Te Ruki, Sonny Waru, Tā James Henare, Te Awamutu Museum.
Te Māori: Interviews with Peter Jemison and John Kaaho at NY Met
Hone Tuwhare interviews Native American Indian Peter Jemison (Heron Clan, Seneca Nation) in this 1984 episode of Koha. Peter talks about the similarities between the traditional narratives of the Seneca people and the stories connected to Māori art and culture.
John Kaaho (Ngāi Tūhoe) also features in this episode. John, originally from Ruatāhuna in the Urewera region, was employed as a security guard at the Met when Te Māori was being exhibited there.
Collection Reference: TZP8389. Year: 1985. Credit: TVNZ.
Radio broadcast of Te Māori exhibition closing 1986 – Chicago Field Museum
This radio broadcast from the Te Māori exhibition closing at the Chicago Field Museum 1986 features Kara Puketapu (Te Āti Awa). Kara acknowledges the supporters of the project including corporate sponsor Mobil Corporation and the supporting American museums and galleries.
Thumbnail image: Kara Puketapu, Chairman Te Māori Management Committee. Collection Reference: TZP378293. Year: 2009. Credit: TVNZ. Kara Puketapu.
Koha: Closing of Te Māori 1986, Chicago Field Museum
The Chicago closing of Te Māori exhibition is captured in this 1986 Koha episode.
Kara Puketapu (Te Āti Awa) interviews some of the American Museum staff involved with the Te Māori project including Jane Tai from The American Federation of Arts.
Waikato elder Hēnare Tūwhāngai concludes the episode with his reflections on Te Māori.
Collection Reference: TZP85097. Year: 1986. Credit: TVNZ, Hēnare Tūwhāngai, Kara Puketapu.