Korowai returned to gallery
A thief who stole a $10,700 korowai from a Wellington gallery walked in and returned it days later. His punishment? A cup of tea and a chat.
Kura Gallery director Ben Dods said the korowai was destined for the Courtenay Place gallery’s Matariki exhibition opening on Friday but it was stolen some time last Tuesday afternoon during installation.
Jude Dods, of Kura Gallery, lays the praise for the return at the feet of curator Hannah Amundsen, who found out via Facebook that a seemingly homeless man was spotted that night trying to sell the Mãori taonga in Courtenay Place.
Amundsen started on her ‘‘detective work’’ by befriending another rough sleeper.
After a few days, that person agreed to approach the thief and, on Saturday, he and a friend walked into the gallery with the korowai and said: ‘‘I haven’t done it any harm.’’
Dods said she took the men into the kitchen for a cup of tea. ‘‘I explained to him what he had done is stolen someone’s taonga.’’
Initially, the thief could not understand why the unique korowai was not something that could be replaced but eventually seemed to come around to the realisation of its cultural significance, she said.
She had notified the police but would not be taking the matter further.
‘‘Trying to punish them isn’t going to help the situation.’’
The piece was created by weaver Garry Grace, who took up to three months to produce the jute, cotton and wool cloak.