Nelson Provincial Museum – Showcasing The Cultural Significance Of The Pakohe Stone
The top of the South Island has some interesting stories. A new exhibition is shining a light on one of the regions’ Taonga. The Nelson Provincial Museum has been working hard over the past 2 years in partnership with Ngāti Kuia and in collaboration with all iwi of Te Tauihu, together with local artists to pull together this beautiful presentation.
Titled ‘Te Tuhi o te Whenua: Pakohe Unearthed’, it features items that have been shared from other New Zealand museums as well as from the Museum’s own collection and tells the story from the raw mineral (Metasomatised Argillite or Pakohe) to how it was used for tool making and is rounded off with a modern-day collection of contemporary jewellery and artworks that will impress all who see.
“Pakohe stone is an integral part of Māori culture in our part of the country. Its cultural significance is important to share and visitors will gain a powerful insight into how Pakohe was gathered, shaped, traded and valued,” says Lucinda Jimson, the Museum’s Chief Executive.
Pounamu (Aka Greenstone) has been in the limelight over recent years. However, Pakohe is a different mineral which was discovered before Pounamu and which had an enormous impact on daily life. It was traded from Te Tauihu to around New Zealand and has been found in historical sites all over the country.
“Pakohe is a tough stone which can vary from light brown to deep green. It was formed by intense geological heat and pressurein the Nelson mineral belt. Iwi used it to make knives, hooks, drills, weapons and adornments. Known for its ability to hold a sharp edge it became a valuable commodity.”
‘Te Tuhi o te Whenua: Pakohe Unearthed’ was launched just before the national kapa haka competitions in June and runs till October 13. It was popular with all the visiting teams checking out our CBD in between performances.
“It’s a real hands-on experience. Young people have been able to engage with the various sections and learn something new.”
Kelly O’Leary is the museum’s educator who comes from a school-teaching background. Her father (Bill O’Leary) was a well-respected high school teacher at Nelson Boys College for many years. Last year she delivered Museum experiences to over 5500 young people from all around the region. She makes sure the school visits are engaging and accommodate all the various learning styles.
“Often schools don’t have the resources or ability to get parents involved in bringing students to Nelson, so we go out to their location and engage them in the learning process. Be it drawing certain objects, to drilling a hole using a Hōrete (traditional drill). It’s a total immersion experience for all who enter. The kids love it, and it’s exciting to see.” says Kelly.
The schools regularly bring students to the museum where they learn hands-on and complete their projects in class time.
As I wander through, there’s a group from Broadgreen Intermediate visiting. Small groups soak up every detail and are 100% engaged in what is being shared by the tutors on site. Before they say goodbye, they thank the tutors and perform a beautiful waiata as a form of thanks to the people who have made it happen. It’s an emotional experience to see and it gave me goosebumps!
Creating tools to cut, drill, bind and sculpt has been an inspirational experience. It’s incredible to see how the local Māori people adapted and embraced new ideas.
Gordon Toi is one of the featured artists, who made the mere pakohe on display. He talks to the students about the differences between a “slowing down” style of weapon and an “ending of life” weapon design features. The kids gasp in awe! Thankfully these days they are only used for ceremonial purposes.
If you have kids we highly recommend you visit this exhibition.
In the summer months we will have an amazing dinosaurs showcase, ‘Six Extinctions’ to look forward to.
The Nelson Provincial Museum is free entry to all, so make the most of this gem. Learn something new and pass it on to the next generation. Or how about letting the youngsters teach you some new things? It’s an amazing asset in our CBD and worth a look!
For more information visit their website www.nelsonmuseum.co.nz
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Explore the virtual tour at Nelson Provincial Museum
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