Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum is pleased to announce a two-year extension of the loan of the historic Māori sail, Te Rā.
Originally scheduled to return to the British Museum in June 2024, the overwhelming public interest and engagement with the sail has led to a generous loan extension. Te Rā, the only known customary Māori sail in existence, will now be on display in the exhibition Te Rā: Navigating Home at Auckland Museum until August 2025, and will remain in Aotearoa until June 2026.
At nearly four and a half metres long and featuring a complex three-way pattern woven from harakeke, Te Rā is a testament to the skill of Māori weaving and serves as a reminder of the rich history of Māori sailing and navigation.
Based on study of Te Rā, the sail is known to have been made in the late-18th century, but it is not known where in Aotearoa Te Rā was made, or by whom. Marks and signs of wear on the sail show that Te Rā was used before it was collected in Aotearoa and taken to Britain.
