In this ‘brief’, Migoto Eria and Amber Aranui lay the foundations for exploring how taonga shape, and are shaped by, hauora (wellbeing). Grounded in Te Whare Tapa Whā, they reveal taonga not as static museum objects but as living presences that speak, travel, and maintain unbroken lines of whakapapa. The kōrero moves through the emotional and spiritual weight of caring for taonga, the protective force of tikanga like karakia, and the responsibility museums hold to uphold Māori identity and safety, Māori first, employee second. Reflecting on the legacy of Te Māori, they show how reconnecting people and taonga continues to transform hauora across generations.

Links:

Te Whare Tapa Whā

Glossary:

Hauora - be fit, well, healthy, vigorous, in good spirits.

Karanga - formal call, ceremonial call, welcome call, call

Kōiwi - bone, human bone, corpse

Kōrero - to tell, say, speak, read, talk, address.

Kupu - word, vocabulary, saying, talk, message, statement, utterance, lyric

Mahi - to work, do, perform, make, accomplish.

Mauri - life principle, life force, vital essence, a material symbol of a life principle.

Taha Māori - Māori identity, Māori character, Māori side, Māori heritage.

Tikanga - correct procedure, custom, habit, lore, method, manner, rule.

Tūpuna - ancestors.

Wāhine - female, women, feminine.

Waiata - song, chant.

Whakapapa - genealogy, genealogical table, lineage, descent

Whakaaro - thought, opinion, plan, understanding, idea.