ABSTRACT
The Tapestry of Understanding is a poem by Kukupa Harakore Tirikatene. Kukupa was the kaumatua in residence for Ngai Tahu with formidable matriarchs Maruhaeremuri Stirling and later Te Whe Phillips, during their acclaimed iwi exhibition Mo Tatou at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa from 2008 to 2012. Kukupa was profoundly influential, inspiring many staff during his time at Te Papa, including Tanja Schubert-McArthur. Te Papa and its bicultural mandate involve complex power relations and assertions of cultural agency. The development of a bicultural institution by leaders determined to see the recognition of Maori cultural values and practice within a museum context, provided the grounding for the new Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Te Papa’s marae functions as a living expression of cultural identity and sense of origin or place for all people who come to Aotearoa New Zealand.
