Te Whare Pora: House of Learning

A rare opportunity to see a collection of unique kākahu (cloaks) made by internationally recognised Māori weaver Roka Hurihia Ngarimu-Cameron MNZM, along with hand-made taonga puoro (musical instruments) from Roka’s collection. Curated by Dr Awhina Tamarapa.

The Māori New Year is celebrated between June and July, at the rising of the open star cluster known as Matariki, or Pleiades. It is a time to reflect on the past, celebrate the present and plan for the future. Te Whare Pora the exhibition, acknowledges the mana (authority) and mauri (life essence) of Maori weaving, through the sublime artistry of master practitioner and teacher, Roka Hurihia Ngarimu-Cameron. Every hand-spun fibre, soft feather, velvety leaf, pelt, and delicate stitch, connects to the natural world. Papatuanuku, Earth Mother, in all her bounty, receives new life through Roka’s cultural knowledge, creativity, and skills. The exhibition reflects on Roka’s journey, celebrates the present with her family and weaving students, and invites us to think about a healthy, vibrant world for future generations.

Te Whare Pora is a celebration of Roka Hurihia Ngarimu-Cameron, her weaving pedagogy and legacy for the future. Roka honours Papatūānuku, Earth Mother, pays homage to the people of the land and the healing frequencies of taonga hauora. The exhibition is enveloped in the undulating Southern forms of Papatūānuku. This is a tribute to the tenacity of ancestors whose footsteps are traced, whose visual language remains as powerful connectors within a house of learning.

Roka Hurihia Ngarimu-Cameron, MNZM, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Te Arawa, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Awa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Irish, is an internationally recognised tohunga in Māori Arts. She holds a Master of Fine Arts and a degree in Social Work and Community Studies. A lifetime of weaving with harakeke (flax) and other materials has seen her exhibit widely in Aotearoa, Australia, Canada, Fiji, Samoa and America.

Dr Awhina Tamarapa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Ruanui, is formerly Curator Māori at Te Papa. She is now a Postdoctoral Research Fellow based at the Stout Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington.