Te Māori Exhibition: 40 Years On

From Te Ara:

"The Te Māori exhibition was a milestone in the Māori cultural renaissance of the 1970s onwards. Featuring traditional Māori artwork, the exhibition at first toured the United States in 1984 and was shown in New York, St Louis, Chicago and San Francisco. It was a great success and returned to tour New Zealand, again to applause, and a swelling of Māori pride. This photograph shows exhibition staff at the Auckland City Art Gallery just before its opening there."

Listen here to an interview with Kura Moeahu, and read the full article that accompanies the interview below:

'Te Māori reawoke all the arts that had been hiding away quietly': Te Māori exhibition 40 years on

Further recordings bring the day of the opening to life again:

"This was the first time New Zealand had been on the front page of The New York Times since Hillary climbed Everest"...

Sir Pita Sharples, Henare Te Ua (QSM) recall the opening of Te Māori, Radio New Zealand (28 August 2015)

Listen to snippets from the day, in these recordings from Ngā Taonga Sound Archives, played as part of a reflection on Radio New Zealand's Afternoons programme in 2019. The clips feature interviews with:

1. Henare Te Ua
2. Mei Winitana
3. Hirini Moko Mead
4. Pita Sharples

After a three year tour of the United States, the exhibition returned to Aotearoa — in 1986, now called 'Te Māori Te Hokinga Mai – the return home'.

But:

"We take it to America and make it famous in your eyes and now that it is famous, you want to welcome it. Where were you guys yesterday? This has been around!"

Sir Pita Sharples (RNZ interview, 2015)

Here is the waiata composed by Te Taite Cooper and Bishop Mariu 'Te Hokinga Mai' for the homecoming:

• Te Maori : Maori art from New Zealand collections (1984)
  This is the book produced to accompany the exhibition, with photos and essays.
• Magnificent Te Maori = Te Maori whakahirahira : he korero whakanui i Te Maori / Mead, Sidney M (1986)
  A book of essays and photographs, reflections and reports on the exhibition Te Māori, with a final chapter as well on the return home.
• Te Maori : te hokinga mai = the return home / Brake, Brian (1986)
  Produced for the return home of the exhibition in 1986.