A delegation of senior Māori living in South Australia has visited the South Australian Museum’s Netley facility to view important cultural items from the Museum’s collection.
The visit was deeply emotional and centred on prayer, hymns and storytelling. It was a rare chance for the local Māori community to connect with items that hold deep cultural meaning and ongoing connection to Aotearoa New Zealand.
The viewing took place as part of the Museum’s preparations to move its collections to a new, purpose-built storage facility.
As this work progresses, the Museum is inviting communities to reconnect with significant objects and share in the stories they carry.
Reverend Hohaia Matthews (pictured on right below leading prayer), Chair of the South Australian Māori Council, thanked Museum staff for their care and respect.
“Whenever we have the opportunity to have our people before us, it breathes who we are,” he said. “We’re indebted to the Museum – the items looked really warm and comfortable.”
Adam Moriarty, Director of Collections and Research, welcomed the group in te reo Māori and said the Museum was proud to support these opportunities for connection and reflection.
Stephen Zagala, the Museum’s World Cultures expert, shared insights into the broader Māori collection, which includes more than 500 items.
Among them is a korere (feeding funnel, pictured above) which left the shores of Aotearoa as part of one of the earliest known cultural exchanges between Māori and Europeans in 1793.
Other items on display included a feather cloak and objects carved from wood and whale bone.
“These visits help us strengthen relationships and deepen understanding,” Stephen said. “They’re an important part of how we care for the collections.”
