Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum will present Te Ripo o te Moana: Taonga Through Time, an exhibition of customary and contemporary taonga Māori, from Saturday 29 August 2026.
Te Ripo o te Moana: Taonga Through Time explores the richness and diversity of Māori art through whakairo rākau (wood carving), whakakai (adornment), raranga (weaving), kōwhaiwhai (painting), and tārai waka (waka knowledge).
Te Ripo o te Moana translates as ‘The Whirlpool of the Sea’ and describes the way a whirlpool gathers and draws everything connected within its currents. The name reflects the coming together of taonga Māori from different timeframes, iwi and regions, and the enduring relationship between Māori and Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean).
Throughout the exhibition, customary taonga and contemporary works are brought into dialogue, tracing the continuity and evolution of Māori art across generations. Contemporary art works by Māori artists Areta Wilkinson, Te Rongo Kirkwood, Saffronn Te Ratana, Ngataiharuru Taepa and more, reveal connections between ancestral knowledge, material practice and new forms of expression.
Te Ripo o te Moana will also include Te Rā, the only known customary Māori sail, alongside significant taonga and mahi toi from the Auckland Museum collection.
Among the other taonga included is Tiki, the four-metre-tall waharoa (gateway carving) created by master carver Te Ūmanui Te Whanoa in the early 1800s and later the symbol of the landmark exhibition Te Maori, which travelled to America in 1984. Other highlights include a rare complete front of a pātaka (storehouse) created by Ngāti Tarāwhai carvers of Te Arawa, demonstrating the diverse styles and distinctive patterns of different iwi and regions.
Te Pō Keu . Ngataiharuru Taepa and Saffronn Te Ratana, 2025. Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira Collection. 2026.17.1
Auckland Museum Curator Taonga Māori Nigel Borell says the exhibition recognises Māori art and taonga as living art forms.
“Te Ripo o te Moana brings art making from different generations into conversation, revealing stories of whakapapa, identity, creativity, and innovation that connect them. The exhibition brings together the work of tohunga whakairo (master carvers) and tohunga raranga (expert weavers) alongside contemporary artists and makers, and in doing so provides a dynamic snapshot of Māori art,” says Borell.
“These taonga show that Māori art is not fixed to one time but is a living continuum in which mātauranga is carried forward and expressed through new materials and ideas.”
Tauihu. Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira Collection. 1925.223, 7375.
Auckland Museum Tumu Whakarae Chief Executive David Reeves says Te Ripo o te Moana creates an important new space for visitors to experience taonga Māori from Auckland Museum’s collection while the Museum’s Māori Court remains closed for asbestos remediation.
“It is a huge privilege to be kaitiaki for one of the world’s most significant collections of taonga Māori, and to create new ways for people to encounter and connect with it,” says Reeves.
The exhibition also explores Māori voyaging traditions through waka tauihu (canoe prows), hoe (paddles) and Te Rā. Dated to the late 18th century, Te Rā is woven from harakeke with muka ties and reflects generations of sophisticated understanding of materials, winds, currents and navigation.
Te Rā returned to Aotearoa on loan from the British Museum in 2023, with the loan now extended until 2029.
Auckland Museum Curator Pou Ārahi Māori and exhibition co-curator Dr Kahutoi Te Kanawa says Te Rā embodies connections across time explored through Te Ripo o te Moana.
“Te Rā sits at the heart of this exhibition, carrying the mātauranga and artistry of our tūpuna. Shown alongside customary and contemporary taonga, she demonstrates how knowledge is carried forward and kept alive through creative practice,” says Dr Te Kanawa.
Te Ripo o te Moana: Taonga Through Time opens at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum from Saturday 29 August 2026 and is free with Museum entry.
Te Ripo o te Moana: Taonga Through Time
Open Sat 29 Aug 2026
FREE with Museum entry
Auckland Museum, Level 1