Squid Front Porch

Squid Front Porch

SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTHS OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2024!
 

Celebrate the Colossal Squid and it’s freaky features!

For the month of January and February we are excited to display amazing information on the colossal squid.

Did you know the colossal squid has the biggest eyes of all the animals? Find out much more about this small creature in a display on the Front Porch Gallery at the Te Awamutu Museum – Education & Research Centre.

Come on in and learn about this freshwater creature and participate in some creative activities!

The Colossal Squid is a FREE exhibition and is on show until 31st March 2024!

Scientists from Auckland University of Technology examine a colossal squid, 2014. Photo by Norm Heke. Te Papa (27225)

Colossal squid suckers being measured, 2008. Photo by Norm Heke. Te Papa (58371)

Colossal Squid visitors experience, Te Papa 2015. Photo by Michael Hall. Te Papa (94207)

Amazing Kōura Exhibit

Amazing Kōura Exhibit

SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2023 – THE AMAZING FRESHWATER KŌURA!
 

Celebrate the amazing freshwater Kōura, your Tui & Tama Club mascot friend!

For the month of December we are excited to display the amazing kōura. Did you know there are two species found here in Aotearoa New Zealand? Find out much more about this small creature in a display on the Front Porch Gallery at the Te Awamutu Museum – Education & Research Centre.

Do you know what a kōura is, where they live and why they are amazing? 

Come on in and learn about this freshwater creature and participate in some creative activities!

On display from 1st December 2023!

The Amazing Tuna

The Amazing Tuna

SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023 – WE LOVE TUNA!
 

We Love Tuna with your Tui & Tama Club mascot – Tuna!

For the month of November we are excited to show the amazing life of Tuna on Front Porch Gallery at the Te Awamutu Museum – Education & Research Centre.

 

Pre-1840, the Waipā district was teaming with wildlife including tuna fisheries within its many rivers, peat lakes and swamps. Today, tuna fishers are much smaller and there are a lot of things that pose dangers for this native animal like manmade dams. This exhibition focuses on how Māori viewed tuna as taonga, the amazing lifecycle of tune, why the longfin tuna is endangered and what steps can we take to ensure tuna remain in our rivers, lakes and swamps.

Alongside this exhibition, for the month of November, there will be creative activities that help grow your interest and love of Tuna!

On display from 1st – 30th November 2023!

Front Porch Taniwha

Front Porch Taniwha

SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2023 – MĀORI MYTHS & LEGENDS!
 

Celebrate Māori Myths & Legends with Taniwha, your Tui & Tama Club mascot friend!

For the month of October we are excited to display three local myths and legends in the form of graphic novels on the Front Porch Gallery at the Te Awamutu Museum – Education & Research Centre.

Do you know what a myth or legend is? 

A myth or legend is a story passed on through the generations. It can be based in fact or it can be left up to our imagination whether it is true. In the Waipā district, we have myths about taniwha that live in the rivers, guardians of the forest and shape changers who can take the form of birds.

These particular pūrākau stories are presented in the form of graphic novels – similar to comic books, using imagery to reveal the plot and identify unique things in te ao marama – our understanding. Local to mana whenua in the Waipā, these pūrākau stories are for all of us to enjoy.

To celebrate this exhibition for the month of October there will be creative activities associated with mythical creatures like taniwha!

On display from 30th September – 31st October 2023!

Te Hokioi Exhibit

Te Hokioi Exhibit

SHOWING ON THE FRONT PORCH FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2023 – TE HOKIOI E RERE ATU NA!

Celebrate Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori Month with Huhu, your Tui & Tama Club mascot friend!

For the month of September we are excited to display information on one of our significant objects in the collection – Te Hokioi the Printing Press, in celebration of Kia Kaha Te Reo Māori month at the Te Awamutu Museum – Education & Research Centre.

The printing press Te Hokioi has an incredible story that spans over 200 years, a journey that took nearly 1800kms, crossing more than three seas and two oceans, and was used by Māori as a way to publish propaganda about the crown’s intention within Aotearoa New Zealand in te reo Māori before the Waikato Wars 1863!

It is a local story with connections to the Emperor of Austria, Franz Josef. Two Māori men took on an adventure that would ultimately undertake vocational training in the print industry and merge into European society. However the legacy of the printing press that was gifted to the two men, took on another perspective as it was welcomed into the heart of the Kīngitanga. The press quickly became a weapon utilised by Māori as a way to publish their opinions on how the crown was making headway into colonising the upper part of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The publication – Te Hokioi e Rere Atu Na (The Soaring War Bird) soon became an outlet for Māori to voice their opposition of crown forces making moves around the Waikato.

This small display focuses on the publication – who were the main players, what was it used for, and how it started a movement in Māori media to this day!

To celebrate this story for the month of September there will be creative activities involving – learn how to create a print using our specially hand-made printing press and how to design your own mono print!

On display from 1st – 3oth September 2023!

Family History Month

Family History Month

SHOWING IN THE GALLERY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2023 – FAMILY HISTORY MONTH

CELEBRATE FAMILY HISTORY MONTH WITH RURU, YOUR TUI & TAMA CLUB MASCOT FRIEND!

For the month of August we have activities, exhibitions and crafty arty workshops supporting whakawhanaungatanga – relationship connections with family. To support our community to start, refresh or research family connections we have a FREE Ancestry Library subscription available for visitors to use at the Te Awamutu Museum – Education & Research Centre at 55 Rickit Road, Te Awamutu.

When you first delve into Ancestry.com, the world’s largest subscription collection of genealogy databases, it can be a bit mind-boggling. After all, Ancestry.com encompasses thousands of collections with more than 30 billion historical records at last count. Subscribers can access all available US census records, from 1790 through to 1950 census, along with many Canadian, English and Welsh enumerations.

In addition, the centre is offering a FREE self scanning archival digitisation service. Researchers. avid historians, or collectors can book in time to use an overhead and flatbed scanner. The overhead scanner is great for hand written diaries, scapbooks and legal documents, whilst the flatbed scanner can digitise film negatives, slides and letters.

During the month of August centre staff are offering one-on-one overview on how to use Ancestry and give you a few tips on what you can achieve with your research. These one hour slots are bookable on Tuesday or Thursday between 10am-12pm by either phoning the centre on 07 872 0085 or emailing museum@waipadc.govt.nz. Please book quickly as these bookings will fill up.

Don’t worry, these two amazing FREE services will continue as long as the community uses it.