Hamilton’s history showcased through Māori taonga, photographs, art in new exhibition

Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato has relaunched the exhibition Shaping Hamilton Huringa Kirikiriroa. Photo / Hamilton City Council

Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato is bringing local history to life with the relaunch of the exhibition Shaping Hamilton Huringa Kirikiriroa.

The refreshed long-term exhibition explores Hamilton’s history through Māori taonga, historical artefacts, photographs and art, and showcases key events that have shaped the city from the arrival of Waikato Tainui to the present day.

Director Museum and Arts Liz Cotton says for the exhibition, the museum collaborated with representatives from local hapū Ngaati Wairere to include taonga which have significance to tangata whenua.

“Shaping Hamilton Huringa Kirikiriroa delves into the region’s multi-layered past. As an institution, and as individuals, we are striving to embrace the complexity of the stories which have shaped Aotearoa New Zealand ... [the exhibition] presents our visitors with the opportunity to learn and engage with the past as we look to the future,” Cotton says.

Ngaati Wairere historian Wiremu Puke (Ngaati Wairere, Ngaati Porou, and Ngaapuhi) says the relaunched exhibition is “the start of a journey”.

“The taonga on display have been brought together to showcase the once thriving tradition of Ngaati Wairere carving ... the carvings in Shaping Hamilton Huringa Kirikiriroa ... date back to the time when stone tools were used.

Ngaati Wairere historian Wiremu Puke. Photo / Andrew McRae - RNZ

“We hope in time that a larger exhibition will be planned for the city and the nation where Ngaati Wairere can be seen as a taonga for the world to see and no longer hidden away,” Puke says.

One new feature of the exhibition is a 2.3-metre paepae (carved wooden beam) which has never been on display before.

The paepae is made from totara wood and was likely carved in the 1700s. It was retrieved in 1983 during earthworks in a wetland area north of Pukete Paa (Braithwaite Park) and required extensive conservation work.

There is also a new interactive feature, a pronounciation guide, where visitors can push buttons to hear how to say names of locations like Horotiu or Waitawhiriwhiri and learn about the story behind the name.

The updates to the exhibition coincide with the nationwide overhaul of the school history curriculum and Waikato Museum provides educational programmes to enhance the teaching and delivery of this new Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories/Te Takanga o Te Wā framework.

Shaping Hamilton Huringa Kirikiriroa is open every day from 10am to 5pm. Entry is free.