First time exhibit of iwi treasure

Eastern Bay residents will get the chance to view rare Whakatohea taonga (treasure) when the Whakatane Library and Exhibition Centre opens its latest exhibition on Sunday (November 29).

The library, also known as Te Koputu a Te Whanga a Toi, will be closing its doors on Saturday (November 28) at 12.30pm for a special pohiri to acknowledge the arrival of the collection for Nga Taonga o te Whakatohea.


One of the taonga which will be in the exhibition this weekend. Photo Supplied.

Museum and Arts Exhibitions co-ordinator Victoria Sinclair says the taonga is from the Te Amoamo Te Riaki Whanau collection and it will be the first time they have been exhibited.

'This is an opportunity to view an important collection of taonga which embody a tangible connection for Whakatohea to their ancestors and land,” says Victoria.

Whakatohea is an Eastern Bay of Plenty iwi made up of six hapu Ngai Tamahaua, Ngati Ira, Ngati Ngahere, Ngati Patumoana, Ngati Ruatakena and Upokorehe.

The iwi is traditionally centred in the area around the town of Opotiki.

Their traditional territorial lands extend eastwards from Ohiwa Harbour to Opape along the coastline and inland to Matawai.

The exhibition will be open to the public from 10 am on Sunday, November 29, and run until Sunday, January 24, 2016.

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