Nga Roimata o Takapuneke: Tears of Takapuneke

Te whenua te whenua
Te oranga mo te iwi
No nga tupuna
Tuku iho tuku iho

The land, the land
Is the life for the people
Comes from the ancestors
Handed down through the passages
of time

 

Nga Roimata o Takapuneke: Tears of Takapuneke is dedicated to the Ngai Tahu tipuna whose lives, loves, dreams and fears were played out in the Akaroa landscape. The peaks, valleys and bays of the harbour are imbued with their histories and this exhibition is a celebration of the rich cultural landscape that is their legacy.

Nga Roimata translates as the tears and is a dual reference to both Nga Roimata, the daughter of Te Maiharanui (the Upoko Ariki of Ngai Tahu in the early 19th century) and also to the deep sadness associated with Takapuneke where a series of tragic events unfolded in the 1830s that led to the deaths of Te Maiharanui, Nga Roimata and many other Ngai Tahu people.

The exhibition commemorates the formal protection by Christchurch City Council in 2009 of Takapuneke as an Historic Reserve. Using images, text and oral history interviews, the exhibition places the history of Takapuneke within the wider cultural landscape of Akaroa Harbour. Reference is made to a number of significant heritage places recognised by New Zealand Historic Places Trust wāhi tapu registrations including Tuhiraki (Bossu), Onawe, Oteauheke (Brasenose) and Takapuneke.

Nga Roimata o Takapuneke: Tears of Takapuneke was on view at the Akaroa Museum from February to May 2010 and received both positive and critical acclaim. New Zealand Historic Places Trust has now partnered with Canterbury Museum and Onuku Runanga to re-work the exhibition for its showing at Our City O-Tautahi during Heritage Week. A selection of significant taonga from the Akaroa area, on loan from Canterbury Museum, provide a superb and meaningful addition to the exhibition.

Nga Roimata o Takapuneke is a collaborative project of the Akaroa Museum, Akaroa Civic Trust, New Zealand Historic Places Trust Pouhere Taonga and Onuku Runanga with additional support from Canterbury Museum.

Saturday 23 October – Saturday 20 November

Our City O-Tautahi *
Corner of Worcester Boulevard & Oxford Terrace

Free

www.ccc.govt.nz/ourcityotautahi
www.historic.org.nz

* This exhibition has been postponed. When this advertising was published, the Our City O-Tautahi premises was still being assessed by structural engineers and it was unclear as to whether or not this exhibition was able to go ahead as planned.

  • Our City O-tautahi.
  • Canterbury Museum.
  • Akaroa Museum.
  • Onuku.
  • Akaroa Civic Trust.
  • NZ Historic Places.

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