Mauri stone installed at transitional museum

A familiar mauri stone was installed at its new home yesterday at the new He Waka Tuia Art + Museum in Invercargill.

Iwi gathered at the new transitional museum to bless the site ahead of its public opening tomorrow.

Te Mauri o te Maori is known to generations of Southlanders who touched it when it was installed at its previous home, the pyramid site at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery (SMAG) Niho o Te Taniwha. A new mauri stone, given by iwi, will be put in place at the Southland Museum and Art Gallery.

The blessing marked more than two years since the pyramid site was shut and six years since the Invercargill Public Art Gallery (IPAG) closed. Both were shut due to earthquake concerns.

Waihopai upoko Michael Skerrett (second from left) says a prayer at the He Waka Tuia Art + Museum...
Waihopai upoko Michael Skerrett (second from left) says a prayer at the He Waka Tuia Art + Museum dawn blessing with (from left) Oraka Aparima chairman Stewart Bull, Southland Museum and Art Gallery Kai Tahu representative Evelyn Cook and iwi member Raniera Dallas in Invercargill yesterday. PHOTO: KAREN PASCO
The transitional museum is a collaboration between the two organisations.

Invercargill city councillors and chief executive Clare Hadley attended the blessing as did iwi and museum staff.

Members of the Verdon College kapa haka group and iwi performed at the ceremony.

Southland Museum and Art Gallery Board Kai Tahu representative Evelyn Cook said the iwi liaison group was pleased to be involved in the discussions with IPAG and SMAG.

"We are looking forward to our taoka once again being part of the daily life of the community."

IPAG chairwoman Lynley Irvine said the space fulfilled a need.

"We’ve had a lot of change and we’ve got a lot of change going on in the city and we think having a lovely space like this, where people can come and enjoy in the centre of the city, is really important," she said.

For SMAG chairwoman Toni Biddle it was about creating a place where people could interact.

Total funding for the fitout of the museum was $780,000.

He Waka Tuia Art + Museum opens to the public at noon tomorrow.

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