Collecting, exhibiting and engaging with East Polynesia at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa: Tuhinga 24

Tuhinga 24: 105-138

ABSTRACT: The Pacific Cultures collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa) holds significant artefacts from the islands of East Polynesia, including the Austral Islands, Society Islands, Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu Archipelago, Pitcairn Island and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Some artefacts are important because of their historical association with the voyages of eighteenth-century English explorer James Cook. Others are less well documented but of outstanding aesthetic quality and once belonged to the early twentieth-century English collector William Oldman. In this survey article, we describe the holdings of East Polynesian material culture in Te Papa and argue for their relevance in the national museum of New Zealand. We also examine other holdings in Te Papa that have associations with East Polynesia, and outline a short history of outreach and engagement with communities from this region.

KEYWORDS: East Polynesia, material culture, Austral Islands, Society Islands, Marquesas Islands, Pitcairn Island, Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Te Papa, Tahiti, James Cook, William Oldman.