About this research
Intern
Rāwinia Wikaira, University of Otago
Supervisor
Nicola Dorothy Puti Railton
Overview
Tangonge was adopted by Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa as its logo and has been prominently displayed throughout Kaitaia and across the rohe.
Carved from tōtara and dated to between the 14th and 16th centuries, Tangonge was discovered in 1920 when Lake Tangonge — located between Kaitaia and Ahipara — was drained. It was sold to the Auckland Museum in 1921 and has since been a central feature in successive Māori gallery displays. In more recent years, the Museum developed a history of active engagement and shared kaitiakitanga with Tangonge’s descendant whānau, including multiple visits home to Te Hiku o Te Ika and international travel to London and Paris for the Oceania exhibition — journeys supported and accompanied by descendant kaitiaki whānau leads.
Descendant whānau hold deep knowledge of this taonga and the associated mātauranga. While the Museum holds basic catalogue information, many records and archival materials remain dispersed across various departmental archives at both Auckland Museum and Te Ahu Museum.
During this internship, the intern researched museum-held records and archives related to Tangonge. The project resulted in a more comprehensive research report for both museums and descendant whānau. This work supported efforts to strengthen the partnership and shared kaitiakitanga between the Museum and whānau, ultimately contributing to iwi-led decision-making regarding their taonga — particularly as Tāmaki Paenga Hira progresses along its Path to 2029 and its commitment to becoming a Te Tiriti-led Museum.
Tangonge is a hugely significant taonga, historically referred to as the Kaitaia Lintel or Kaitaia Carving. It is now understood to have been a waharoa (gateway) and is considered the earliest surviving Māori carving in the world — a source of great mana and identity for the iwi of Te Hiku o te Ika.
Ētahi atu · Other projects
A new report from Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) and Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research provides guidance for Te Ao Māori on climate change adaptation and mitigation. He huringa āhuarangi, he huringa ao: a changing climate, a changing world was produced by a multidisciplinary Māori research team working across many research institutions. Using a novel kaupapa…
View projectHe huringa āhuarangi, he huringa ao: a changing climate, a changing world
He oranga whānau: mahi ngātahi: Whānau livelihoods within the context of work and Māori economies of wellbeing. These groundbreaking works celebrate Māori futures rooted in kaupapa Māori values while fostering pathways for responsible relationships, meaningful lives, and flourishing Indigenous wellbeing economies. By emphasising the central role of whānau…
- Mana Touchstones
- Te Ahunga atu ki ngā Ōhanga Oranga Māori: Towards Māori Economies of Wellbeing
- He Rauhī Kupu
He oranga whānau: mahi ngātahi: Whānau livelihoods within the context of work and Māori economies of wellbeing
He oranga whānau: mahi ngātahi: Whānau livelihoods within the context of work and Māori economies of wellbeing. These groundbreaking works celebrate Māori futures rooted in kaupapa Māori values while fostering pathways for responsible relationships, meaningful lives, and flourishing Indigenous wellbeing economies. By emphasising the central role of whānau, these publications provide actionable insights and inspiration for transformative change in economic and cultural systems.
This internship compiled a database of traditional Māori food preservation practices to better understand archaeological midden sites and mahinga kai history. Working with Otago’s SPAR team, the project links historical knowledge with contemporary preservation techniques across Aotearoa.
View projectInvestigating traditional mahinga kai practices of preservation throughout Aotearoa
This internship compiled a database of traditional Māori food preservation practices to better understand archaeological midden sites and mahinga kai history.
Working with Otago’s SPAR team, the project links historical knowledge with contemporary preservation techniques across Aotearoa.