A new exhibition is shining the light on one of the northern South Island’s most significant taonga.
Te Tuhi o te Whenua: Pakohe Unearthed, which opened at Nelson Provincial Museum last month, marks the region’s first public celebration of pakohe, a precious and culturally significant resource which has helped shape the story of Te Tauihu o te Waka-a-Māui.
Curated by Ngāti Kuia and Pupuri Taonga o Te Taiao, Nelson Provincial Museum, and presented in collaboration with all iwi of Te Tauihu, Te Tuhi o te Whenua: Pakohe Unearthed celebrates the strength, versatility and resilience of pakohe and the people who have worked it over hundreds of years.
The exhibition also follows the revival of pakohe carving and introduces some of the key contemporary artists behind its resurgence.
Pakohe (metasomatised argillite) has been used by iwi Māori for centuries in the production of tools such as toki (adzes), whao (chisels) and māripi (knives), revered for their strength and ability to hold a sharp edge.
Toki Pakohe were not only prized tools, but also symbols of mana.
Found in what Ngāti Kuia call Te Rohe Pakohe—the Nelson Mineral Belt—pakohe from Te Tauihu was a highly sought-after resource and key to a thriving early trade economy. It has been discovered in archaeological sites in most areas of Aotearoa.
For the descendants of those early stone workers and traders, the exhibition opening was an emotional occasion.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kuia Kaitiaki, Hina-i-te-Māra Moses-Te Kani, said the celebration and acknowledgement of such a precious resource had been a long time coming.
“Pakohe is an intrinsic part of our identity as Ngāti Kuia in Te Tauihu, and that could certainly be felt here today. It is overwhelming that after so many years, we are able to stand here and finally celebrate and acknowledge a taonga that is so important to us.”
Te Tuhi o te Whenua: Pakohe Unearthed is now on show at Pupuri Taonga o Te Tai Ao, Nelson Provincial Museum until 1 October, 2024. Entry is free for Nelson Tasman residents.
