sharing the past - Auckland Museum

Sharing the Past
The oxygen free environment will minimize photooxidation
of the susceptible organic materials
and reduced lighting levels will further decrease
deterioration. Likewise mould and insect attack
will not be a threat in controlled conditions such
as these.
The Museum's team of conservators has had many
years of specialised training. The training for conservation
is a degree in the Conservation of
Cultural Materials and at present is not available
in NZ. Our conservators trained in Australia and
Canada. They are Objects Conservators which
means that they have an understanding of the
makeup of all sorts of materials e.g. the mummy
is a combination of organic (wood, textile, gums,
resins, human remains) and inorganic substances
(pigment, clay, calcite). Conservation involves
both remedial work, i.e. treatments -which prima-
TE TOKI A TAPIRI
13 Teacher Background
Auckland Museum
Te Papa Whakahiku
rily involve preservation through stabilising the
deteriorative factors, and preventative, which
encompasses things like control of environmental
conditions (temperature, humidity, pollution, pests),
correct handling, etc. At times it can be dangerous
because of the necessary use of chemicals,
and residual materials left on objects from past
treatments, but they take safety precautions like
wearing gloves, goggles, masks and work in the
fume cupboard when necessary. Conservation
training also involves the study of materials, and
this includes not only the chemical and physical
makeup of objects, but of adhesives, solvents and
other chemicals that they may use so that they
know how things are going to be affected by various
materials.
Our brave conservators don't seem to believe in
the mummy's curse!!! Stoic but foolish people.
Te Toki a Tapiri is the last of the great Maori war canoes. With
the hull adzed out of a single huge totara log, the canoe is
25m long and can carry 100 warriors. It was built about
1836 for Te Waka Tarakau of Ngati Kahungunu, who lived near
Wairoa in Hawkes Bay. Its name commemorates Tapiri, a famous
ancestor of Tarakau. Before it was finished, the canoe was
exchanged for a famous cloak.
After the prow, stern and side strakes were
carved the canoe was presented to Tamati Waka
Nene and his brother Patuone of Ngapuhi. In
1853 Te Toki a Tapiri was sold to members of
Ngati Ata. In 1863, following the outbreak of
war in the Waikato, Government forces seized
the waka, even though Ngati Te Ata had not taken
part in the fighting. Ngati Te Ata accepted crown
compensation for this transgression.
A British sailor made an unsuccessful attempt to
blow up the canoe while it lay on a beach at
Onehunga. In 1869 the canoe was restored, and
teacher background
became the highlight of a regatta on the
Waitemata Harbour organised for the visit of
Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.
Ngati Whatua of Orakei later looked after the
canoe until it was presented to Auckland Museum
by the New Zealand Government in 1885. To
move the canoe from its Orakei landing place to
the Princess street building required cunning strategy.
Firstly a cart was wheeled onto the beach at
low tide over a corduroy slab track. At the next
high tide the floating canoe was manoeuvred
onto the cart and dragged inland at low tide. Its