MUSEUM THE MAORIS' TREASURE HOUSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 169, 7 October 1927, Page 1

MUSEUM THE MAORIS' TREASURE HOUSE

BEST INSURANCE ASSISTANCE FROM AKARANA ASSOCIATION the IMaoris that the A Museum does not want to grab everything. We want them to recognise the museum as their treasure house. “We do not want to own the articles that they deposit here. Impress upon them that this is the best possiblle insurance for their treasures.” Replying: to the Akarana Maori Association’s desire to co-operate with the Museum Council, the curator, Mr. Gilbert Archey, declared last evening that it was their desire to serve the Maori people Maori speakers, who met the council under the presidency of Professor Thomas, expressed their willingness to get in touch with tribal heads, and assist the museum in every way possible.

“There is a great deal of ignorance on both sides,” said Mr. P. Smyth, the association’s secretary. “We want to clear up matters between Maori and pakeha. The present-day Maori. explained Mr. Smyth, had lost a great deal of his . traditional knowledge in his strenuohs fight to cope with European civilisation. “But if there is any information still available which we can obtain for you we will be very happy to get it,” he added. Valuable assistance could be given by members of the association, said Mr. Archey, by collecting old songs, stories, and legends, the assembling of material for study, and by the studying; of material already in the museum. EXAMPLE OF TARANAKIS The curator alluded to the example of the Taranaki people, who recently deposited some of their most cherished relics in the New Plymouth Museum, recognisng that by doing this they would be preserved for all time. Professor Thomas: “We really are interested in the life and history of the Maori people, and we want a record available for study, which will be even mom gratifying to them than it would be to us.” Professor Worley declared that it was not to our credit that we had no chair of ethnology in connection with ttye .Auckland University College. To study Maori art, history, and reUgiom said Mr. J. Rukutai, was one of tlte objects of the association.