Source: Auckland Council
Visitors will find a beautiful ode to measina (taonga/treasure) at the upcoming free exhibition Lupe I Vao Ese (LIVE), opening its doors to the public on 17 September 2025, at Auckland Central City Library for all Aucklanders to enjoy.
The title “Lupe I Vao Ese” is Samoan for “doves in different pastures” and highlights the journey of measina, the cultural treasures of Moana Oceania. Auckland Council Libraries Curator, Pasifika, Pamata Toleafoa, says this exhibition has been two years in the making and it is a delight to finally be able to share this with Aucklanders.
“With Lupe I Vao Ese, we’re aiming to inspire people to treasure their cultural heritage. Measina are inseparable from Pasifika identity, carried across oceans and generations as communities migrate and adapt. These treasures both influence and are influenced by the diverse contexts they inhabit, adapting alongside the people who uphold them.
“This exhibition challenges the idea of measina/taonga as something only displayed at festivals, ceremonies or preserved behind glass,” adds Pamata. “We want to encourage our visitors to honour measina as active companions that continue to shape daily life, memory and belonging. Measina reside in the hearts, hands and memories of Pasifika peoples. As indigenous communities migrate and establish themselves in new environments, their measina accompany them, inseparable from identity.”
Along with the precious physical items known as measina, on loan from the Moana Pasifika Network and Auckland Council Library staff members, the exhibition showcases Pasifika heritage ranging from archival material and illustrations to photography from the 18th and 19th century to today. The measina on display range from Tivaevae (a form of quilting), Kato (woven baskets or bags), Masi (tapa cloth in Fiji used in ceremonies, gifting, weddings and chiefly gatherings) and Ie Toga (finely woven mat in Samoan culture) to name a few.
Auckland Council Libraries Head of Library and Learning Services, Catherine Leonard says exhibitions of this nature are vital for our communities in Tāmaki Makaurau, which are so diverse.
“It’s important to us, the Central City Library, to offer exhibitions that are diverse and represent the communities of Tāmaki Makaurau. Lupe I Vao Ese celebrates Pasifika heritage and creates opportunities to connect and enrich ourselves culturally. It’s a unique experience for the entire whānau that will leave you feeling inspired.”
This free exhibition is open from 17 September 2025 to 6 March 2026 at Auckland Central City Library. Wider Lupe I Vao Ese activities listed below:
Tāmaki Untold: Measina at Home with Edith Amituanai: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/events/2025/09/lupe-i-vao-ese-measina-at-home/
Central City Library, Saturday 20 September
Edith Amituanai is a New Zealand–born Samoan lens-based artist in Tāmaki Makaurau. Her work explores how environments shape identity, focusing on Samoan transnational communities. In this talk, she reflects on the domestic interior—particularly the “front room”—as a kind of stage, and how these spaces connect to the exhibition Lupe I Vao Ese (doves in different pastures).
Lupe I Vao Ese (LIVE) at Play: Celebrating Auckland Heritage Festival: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2025/09/auckland-heritage-festival-2025-auckland-at-play/
LIVE at Play Artboards: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/events/2025/08/lupe-i-vao-ese-live-at-play-artboards/
Eastern Viaduct, Wynyard Quarter, Monday 4 August – Monday 29 September
Celebrate a crossover between the Auckland Heritage Festival 2025 and Lupe I Vao Ese | LIVE at Play – an artboard satellite exhibition highlighting people with their measina in their communities.
Lightboxes
Te Komititanga and Darby Street, Wednesday 17 September – Sunday 5 October
A creative take on this year’s Auckland Heritage Festival theme of “Auckland at Play” which highlights Tangata Moana using Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections.
Workshops:
Create your own work inspired by Auckland Libraries’ Pasifika Heritage Collections. All workshops take place at Ellen Melville Centre. Bookings required.
Weaving workshop – Thursday 25 September, 11am–1pm
Zine making – Saturday 27 September, 2pm–4pm
Diorama making – Friday 3 October, 11am–1pm
Proudly sponsored by the City Centre targeted rate.
