The former Pacific Cultures gallery at Tūhura Otago Museum will reopen this Saturday, June 6, as Tangata Moana: Peoples of the Ocean.
The space has been closed since January 2025 to undergo an extensive, community-led refurbishment.
Senior designer Annah Taggart said the physical room had been transformed by removing old internal walls, creating an open layout that could be used for a range of events and activities.
“We have got a projector and screen so we will be able to use it as a space for the community,” Miss Taggart said.
The display areas were stripped back to have a neutral background providing a “clean and focused” environment to highlight the artefacts.
Pasifika collection technician Jonika Edgecombe worked alongside curators and conservators to balance the desires of local groups with the physical limitations of preservation.
“These are the community’s treasures and we want to celebrate what they want to celebrate, but we also have to balance that making sure we care as well,” Miss Edgecombe said.
New information had been collected about the artefacts, providing specific context beyond older generic descriptions.
“The volume of new information is astounding, we have learnt so much.
“They all have their own stories, especially objects that are a lot rarer now.
“I am so grateful to the community for sharing that knowledge.”
Pasifika engagement manager Leota Meredith said deep consultation with 12 Polynesian nations guided the entire process.
“The beauty is that this project has been mutually beneficial for both the museum and its Pasifika communities,” Ms Meredith said.
Dunedin’s Pasifika groups were invited to select pieces from the museum’s “amazing collection”, choosing items they knew were significant to represent and showcase their culture.
“They are representative of their culture, representative also of their memories, representative of their knowledge.”
The consultation extended to how artefacts were arranged inside the display cabinets to ensure cultural appropriateness.
Pieces traditionally worn on the head were placed at the very top of displays because the head was considered the most sacred part of the body in Pan-Pacific cultures, while tools such as fishing equipment were arranged lower down.
The process had been an emotional experience for many and provided an opportunity for older members of the public to share stories and information with younger generations.
“One of the things that we have always pushed for, I believe, is having a living museum which is reflective of who we are, you know, as a vibrant people,” Ms Meredith said.
