Behind enemy lines for taonga
The 1831 sacking of Kaiapoi Pa¯ by Nga¯ ti Toa was one of the darkest days in Nga¯ i Tahu history. Leaders were killed and the cultural and economic hub of the tribe was decimated.
Bringing solace among the desolation was Apeahama Te Aika. A teenager at the time, he snuck back into the pa¯ to retrieve a prized tiki from the grave of an ancestor, stopping Nga¯ ti Toa from looting the tribe’s taonga.
So began the storied history of Te Aika hei tiki, among the earliest pendants in human form carved from South Island greenstone. It will be on display at Canterbury Museum for the next six months as part of Kura Pounamu, alongside various other greenstone treasures.
The exhibition is presented by the national museum Te Papa Tongarewa and Te Ru¯ nanga o Nga¯ i Tahu. Originally displayed in Wellington from 2009 to 2011, the collection had since toured China and France.
The tiki is of particular importance to the museum’s curator of human history Corban Te Aika, whose fifth great-grandfather was the brave soul who retrieved the tiki from behind enemy lines.
‘‘It’s a significant taonga in our wha¯ nau and we are excited that it will be home for the next six months,’’ Te Aika said.
‘‘It is a symbol of the mana of our tı¯puna, as are many taonga in this exhibition for other wha¯ nau. Each has its own story to share.’’
Te Aika hei tiki was sold to a collector in 1922 when the Te Aika family fell on hard times. It changed hands several times, spending nearly 50 years in London. With support from Canterbury Museum and Te Papa, the tiki was returned home in 1991.
‘‘It is a beautiful taonga and a fine example of a hei tiki, though the hei tiki’s story is its most interesting aspect – its history and association with the fall of Kaiapoi Pa¯ as well as its travel and trade Kātoitoi, a small bird with a big voice. exploits to the other side of the world,’’ Te Aika said.
Alongside carved items, the exhibition also showcases greenstone in its raw form. Five large boulders from Big Bay in South Westland dominate the space, bringing to light the work carvers and artists have done to render stone to items of beauty.
The exhibition opened on Saturday and runs until June 3. Entry to Canterbury Museum is free. Work on the restoration of Christ Church Cathedral is set to begin soon, starting with the removal of the steel frame at the front of the damaged building. It should be down by February, when the project team will get a closer look at what needs to be done. Once down, two cranes will begin the laborious task of removing rubble, including the lifting out of individual pieces by workers in a crane, to be documented and catalogued for future use. Project manager Keith Paterson said the reinstatement ‘‘will help put the heart back in our city’’.
Explore
If and when the sun finally appears, head for the hills to get the best vistas over the city, the plains and the harbours around Christchurch. Victoria Park, off Dyers Pass Rd, offers an ideal starting point for exploration. A large dog park will satisfy those four-legged friends, while walking paths from the park open up the top of the Port Hills. Take a stroll uphill to Sugarloaf, or go further afield towards Rapaki Track to get back down into the city. Equally handy for exploration is Mt Pleasant at the other end of the Port Hills. After a cheat’s start from the Gondola top station, head for the summit. Paths lead to Redcliffs, Moncks Bay and Sumner, and also continue on to Taylor’s Mistake and Godley Head.