I2: Whiria Ngā Tangata
Tracks
2
| Wednesday, December 2, 2026 |
| 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM |
| RHLT2 |
Overview
Stream: Museums, Collections, Returns and Repatriation
Paper / Session Submitter
Ms Justine Treadwell
Associate Project Manager
Auckland Museum
Whiria Ngā Tangata
Summary Abstract
Te Aho Mutunga Kore is Auckland Museum’s Māori and Pacific fibre and textile knowledge exchange centre. Meaning 'the thread that never ends,' it reflects a commitment to strengthening connections between people and taonga, while uplifting women’s knowledge across generations. The kaupapa responds to a longstanding need to recognise and safeguard this knowledge for the future.
Guided by shared uara—tiaki/manaakitanga, hohonutanga, kotahitanga, ahurutanga, and whakapono—Te Aho Mutunga Kore prioritises reconciliation, care, and collaboration in a space shaped by historic mamae. Its work is community-led and responsive, acknowledging the distinctiveness of each relationship.
Mahi extends beyond the museum to include over 15 community research projects, public taonga viewings during Pacific Language Weeks, and intergenerational initiatives such as scholarships and rangatahi-focussed teaching. By centering community aspirations over colonial museum frameworks, Te Aho Mutunga Kore seeks to foster a legacy of connection-driven engagement with taonga tuku iho.
Guided by shared uara—tiaki/manaakitanga, hohonutanga, kotahitanga, ahurutanga, and whakapono—Te Aho Mutunga Kore prioritises reconciliation, care, and collaboration in a space shaped by historic mamae. Its work is community-led and responsive, acknowledging the distinctiveness of each relationship.
Mahi extends beyond the museum to include over 15 community research projects, public taonga viewings during Pacific Language Weeks, and intergenerational initiatives such as scholarships and rangatahi-focussed teaching. By centering community aspirations over colonial museum frameworks, Te Aho Mutunga Kore seeks to foster a legacy of connection-driven engagement with taonga tuku iho.
Biographies
Dr Kahutoi Te Kanawa is one of the co-directors of Te Aho Mutunga Kore. She hails from a whānau of kairaranga, and upholds the legacy of raranga and whatu in her personal and professional spaces.
During her thirty-year career at Auckland Museum Fuli Pereira, Co-Director and Curator Pacific, led ground-breaking projects defined by shifts in the involvement of descendant communities. The AM collections are among the most significant Pacific collections and contain a diverse range of taonga.
Dr Chantal Knowles (Co-Director) has over 25 years’ experience working with cultural collections in museums. Her research and practice has focused on community-centred museum engagement. She has recently completed her PhD Artificial Assemblages in Museum Storage.
Jasmine Tuiā is the Community Navigator for Te Aho Mutunga Kore, supporting people and taonga through community led museum practice. Grounded in her siapo making and collective values, she supports Māori and Pacific access to collections.
Justine Treadwell (Pākehā/Scottish whakapapa) is the Associate Project Manager for Te Aho Mutunga Kore. She has a background in textile art, and has pursued postgraduate studies in 18th century mahi whatu (Māori weaving).
