Pūkana on Tour at Aratoi : 22 May  - 19 September 2021

15 September 2021

Visitors: 22,875; 1185 School aged children and 32 preschool children participated.

We are delighted to announce the success of Pūkana on Tour at Aratoi, Masterton, a collaboration between the Alexander Turnbull Library, Aratoi and their local community.

Susanna Shadbolt, Director at Aratoi reports:

“Pūkana resonated well with people from all walks of life; our tamariki who performed and learned about NZ and local performance and performers, elderly visitors who recognised a lot of the performers, our general audience who enjoyed an extension of static display into performance art.

The framework was provided by the Alexander Turnbull Library, but it was very challenging to develop a local component with a programme of events and enhance the exhibition with objects that tell a story. Without the support of – of course ATL – but our local Māori Community and in particular Makuini Kerehi, Huria Robens, Haami Te Whaiti and Mike Kawana, this would not have been possible.

I do believe that this community very much appreciated Aratoi to take on this challenge, tell our local stories and weave them into a national context and framework. The connection with He Kahui Wairarapa and REAP Wairarapa further led to the development and Aratoi supporting Makuini and local marae with marae-based exhibitions until the last day before lockdown.

I am certain this exhibition will go into the long-term memory of Aratoi exhibitions and will be mentioned alongside Ka moe ka puta, Wairarapa Moana, and Te Marae o Rongotaketake and has therefore helped strengthen Aratoi’s connection with mana whenua.”

To celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, we have uploaded Mike Kawana singing the beautiful waiata he composed for and gifted to Aratoi.

It's accompanied by a selection of photographs taken by Mark Beatty, Imaging Services, Alexander Turnbull Library, at the opening event.

Here is the link:  https://youtu.be/ZSVQPdTwKrM

Pūkana on Tour to Aratoi, was funded by a Lottery Grant though the Turnbull Endowment Trust.