Tō Ao ki Tōku Ao – A Meeting of Worlds
This exhibition in the Walsh Memorial Library portrays a meeting of two worlds — inviting you into the moment when te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā first converged on the printed page.
Tō Ao ki Tōku Ao - A Meeting of Two Worlds traces the powerful intersection of kōrero tuku iho (oral tradition) and print technology, showcasing early printed reo Māori (Māori language) material from the 1830s–1860s drawn from the MOTAT collection.
Among these taonga is a second-edition print copy of He Whakaputanga (1837) — a foundational declaration by rangatira (leaders) of Te Tai Tokerau affirming the sovereignty (rangatiratanga) of hapū (traditional Māori nations) and the land of Aotearoa. The exhibition reveals how Māori actively sought new printing technologies while upholding the sanctity and integrity of oral histories.
The narrative is guided by Eru Kapa-Kingi, a descendant of He Whakaputanga signatories, as well as Auckland Law School academic and Toitū te Tiriti spokesperson. Through his expertise and deep whakapapa connections, Eru offers a perspective grounded in lived heritage. He is joined by filmmaker Heperi Mita, whose cinematic response brings to life the messages within these early printed works. Together, they bring a vibrant and contemporary lens to the story of print in Aotearoa.
MOTAT acknowledges the depth of this kaupapa and stands in support of tangata whenua (the first peoples of Aotearoa) – offering its resources, tools, and team to uplift and realise this vision, ensuring the voices of tangata whenua are not just heard, but centred.
Tō Ao ki Tōku Ao invites reflection on the endurance and adaptability of oral traditions, the political and cultural implications of print technology, the preservation of te reo Māori, and the complexities of cultural exchange in the face of colonisation. It also gestures towards the future, considering how emerging technologies might continue to shape and transform our collective narratives.