Te Ripo o te Moana: Taonga Through Time
Opens Saturday 29 August
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.
Featured artwork: Te Pō Keu . Ngataiharuru Taepa and Saffronn Te Ratana, 2025. Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira Collection. 2026.17.1
