Paris, 29 July 2011
From 4 October 2011 to 22 January 2012, the Musée du Quai Branly presents an exhibition dedicated to the Maori civilisation. “E Tu Ake – Maori Treasures” will feature approximately two hundred and fifty works from a variety of eras. The majority of pieces on display are from the Te Papa Tongarewa Museum in New Zealand, the institution that initiated the event.
The exhibition consists of three parts and provides insight into a group of people with a strong and rich culture, fighting against globalisation to preserve their origins and determine their future. To illustrate these values and the continuity of this culture, contemporary artworks are exhibited alongside ancestral treasures.
The first section of the exhibition reveals the customs and philosophy of the Maoris, who turn to their roots and past to know how to approach the future. “E Tu Ake – Maori Treasures” also focuses on Whakapapa, a genealogical principle that is fundamental to the culture. Tattoos, for example, are directly derived from this principle, as they depict the genealogical identity of each person.
The second part provides insight into Maori culture via objects, weapons, garments, music, legislation, their legendary dugout canoes and other aspect of everyday life. The third section informs viewers about the Maori view of the environment and ecological problems. This culture is highly respectful of nature and decries the effects of globalisation on the natural world.
To illustrate these three sections, the exhibition presents sculptures, stone objects and architecture, photographs, audio-visual works and a range of objects. Both the Maori aesthetic and culture is highlighted, as well as a fundamental question shared by numerous civilisations: what is the future of our culture in an increasingly globalised world?