Good news that the Takiroa Māori Rock Art Site will reopen soon. Heavy rains had made the area unsafe and remedial work is being done to upgrade the paths and viewing points. This will open up the taonga to visitors - which is important - these taonga are an essential part of our shared history and by learning from Ngāi Tahu the context around them, we honour our tupuna, Ngāi Tahu and all peoples. Some scaling of the rockface is needed and the Otago Section of the NZ Alpine Club have done the job for free, just asking for a talk on the Rock Art sites for their mahi. That is the way to do it - when all parties are respected, great things happen.
The whole area is coming alive
Timaru Herald
Also becoming more accessible later in the year will be Maori rock art sites at Craigmore and Totara Valley. Te Ana, the Ngai Tahu Rock Art Centre in Timaru, plans to start scheduled tours to the two areas later this year. It has leased an eight-hectare site in Totara Valley to gain access to one of the most significant rock drawings, the giant taniwha. The area will be placed under a QEII covenant that protects vulnerable natural features or habitats.
Timaru Herald
A four-day festival featuring South Canterbury's Maori rock art and highlighting Ngai Tahu heritage, is being planned with the help of $50,000 from a special Rugby World Cup festival fund. In announcing the grant, the New Zealand Lotteries Festival Fund said the four-day festival would celebrate southern heritage, culture and creativity, with a programme centred around the theme of Maori Rock Art. It is designed to highlight Ngai Tahu heritage and the stories told through previous Maori rock art taonga.
Now this is fantastic and I take my hat off to the innovative thinkers who thought this festival up. The connections are everything - the stories, the histories, the legends, the knowledge. By respecting Ngāi Tahutanga all people are connected. Thank you to all involved.
A wonderful post on the taonga here at Introducing Maori Lifestyles
Great news that Te Ana Ngai Tahu's Rock Art Centre in Timaru has just opened. This is so good for everyone. The taonga are respected and treasured and guests can visit, the community are involved and it is bringing all people together. This is the way to do it .
From The Timaru Herald
After years of planning, Te Ana Ngai Tahu's Rock Art Centre has had an emotional opening.
About 200 people gathered for a chance to celebrate the opening ceremony in Timaru yesterday.
The centre is hugely significant for Ngai Tahu," Mr Solomon said.
"It is the culmination of years of hard work and devotion to protecting and preserving this important cultural and historical taonga for the iwi and now we have the perfect showcase for sharing it with the world."
One look was not enough for locals Tewera King and Koriana Waller, who said they were not the only ones popping back for another look.
"It's our taonga. Not all of us have been out to see the rock art. For a person who knows nothing about the local iwi, it's all there," Mrs Waller said.
"It's just an awesome resource for the local community and our visitors to learn about taonga and resources."
Not only did the centre present the rock art, but it also showed other practices in the area such as eeling and collecting kai. "I thought it was just the rock art, but there's more in there."
Mr King said the centre was brilliant and had a good balance of information and activities.
I can't wait to visit the center. Congratulations to Gerard and the team for this kaupapa. The centre is open to all and that is the way it is done.
Great news that this taonga māori rock art has been returned home. I have posted about the taonga of the māori rock art here and here and it is great that Te Ana, the Ngāi Tahu Māori Rock Art Centre is opening in December.
From Katarina Filipe Timaru Herald
"After nearly 100 years, 12 pieces of art were welcomed back to Waihao Marae with a powhiri yesterday, attended by representatives from Waihao, Arowhenua and Moeraki runanga.
The drawings were removed from sites in the Aoraki area in 1916 by American antiquarian James Lee Elmore and have since been housed in museum collections around the country and overseas.
How do the people feel?
Wendy Heath, kaikaranga of the tangata whenua, said the return of the art was "huge".
"They mean so much to us. They were done by our tupuna, they're our link to our tupuna in that sense. It's just so heartwarming.
"[The centre is] going to be brilliant for Timaru and South Canterbury as a whole. Us sharing our treasures with people will give them a better understanding of who we are."
Good effort from all concerned. Visiting these taonga will be a essential for anyone coming through Timaru and that is awesome because each of these visitors, whether from here or somewhere else, will get an introduction to Ngāi Tahu whanui. Eco-cultural tourism, where context is given to create connection, is what visitors want - they want to understand and interact.
