National Museum ~ Runanga Pakau

Kia Orana and welcome to the National Museum of the Cook Islands. As a new museum we house a collection of mostly replicas and contemporary Cook Islands artwork. The museum occupies a purpose built structure consisting of an exhibition gallery of 200 square metres. The museum is host to a variety of local and international exhibitions and takes pride in housing a collection of traditional and contemporary artworks in a spacious and modern complex.

Many of the carvings within the collection have been recreated from illustrated records and documentations made at the turn of the twentieth century. As Christianity had a great influence in the Cook Islands, many of the cultural artifacts were either removed to other parts of the world or destroyed. At present we are focusing on the preservation of our material culture through research, documentation and the reproduction of historical artifacts.

The National Museum presents a traditional and modern historical view, from weapons and costumes to voyaging canoes and contemporary works of art. Also included is a Pacific Collection of arts and crafts gifted during the 1992 Pacific Festival of the Arts.

HISTORY OF MUSEUMS IN THE COOK ISLANDS

The term museum is not a new concept in the traditional history of the Cook Islands. Prior to the sighting of Pukapuka Island by the Spanish explorers Alvaro de Mendana and Pedro Quiros on August 20, 1595, the Cook Islands had it's own social structures which catered for various forms of artistic expressions. These institutions were called the Pia-Atua (housing tribal gods), Are Korero (tribal historians narrating the stories of old), Are Karioi (house of dance and entertainment), Are Pana (teaching ladies the lifestyle of the titled class), Are Toa (teaching the young men the art of warfare) and the Are Vananga (the passing on of esoteric knowledge). These places were vehicles of knowledge, housing national treasures which represented and glorified the local tribes. It was here that under the curatorship of a Ta'unga that the tribes learned about the gods and the celestial bodies, the graceful movements of the tamure and the rhythym of the tokere, the roadsigns of nature and the deliberate voyaging canoes and the traditional history of the people.

Akonoanga Peu Tupuna

Ko te tuatua no runga i te runanga pakau kare i te tuatua ou i roto i te tuatua tapapa o te Kuki Airani. I mua ake ka tae ei tetai nga tangata Paniora ki Pukapuka koia a Alvaro de Mendana e Pedro Quiros i te ra 20 o Aukute, 1595, te vai nei ta te Kuki Airani akanoonooanga no runga i tana ravenga i te akakite anga i tana au akonoanga peu tupuna.
Ko teia au akanoonooanga koia oki ko te Pia Atua (e ngutuare tei akataka ia no te au atua), ko te Are Korero (ei konei te au Tumu Korero tua ei i te au tuatua tapapa taito), ko te Are Karioi (e are ura e te tamataora), ko te Are Pana (te apii anga i te au vaine i te tu no runga i te oraanga i roto i te kopu tangata mou taoanga enua), ko te Are Toa (te apiianga i te au mapu tane no runga i te angaanga tamaki e tona tu karape) e pera katoa te Are Vananga (te orongaanga e te apiianga i te au kite karape ki tetai). Kua riro teia au ngutuare ei mataara i te akakoukouanga e te akakiteanga i te mana kite pakari o te au taunga, ma te akakaka i to ratou iti tangata. I konei oki i raro ake i te au angaanga takake a te au Ta'unga i rauka ei te kite o te iti tangata no runga i to ratou au atua, te tu karape o te ura, te tu akatangi tukeke o te tokere, te tatau anga o te au kena enua, te tu rangatira i te akateretere vaka e pera te au tuatua tapapa no runga i tona uaorai tupuanga.

EXHIBITIONS

The National Museum is proud hosts to a number of annual local exhibitions and international shows. The Cook Islands Constitutional Art Exhibition takes place every year during the month of July/August. The Tivaevae Exhibition is becoming a major attraction with an annual show taking place during the month of October/November.

Successful international shows to date include, "Paringa Ou" which featured contemporary Cook Islands Art from New Zealand based artists.

The National Museum welcomes any inquiries on local arts and craft groups and local art associations.

The exhibition venue is free of charge and entry is by donation.

Annual Tivaevae Exhibition

For more information on Cook Islands Tivaevae contact

sonya-tourism@cookislands.govt.ck