Whales/Tohora a Major Exhibition
Science and Storytelling Reveal our Link with these Sea Mammals
New Zealand’s attitude to whaling has changed radically since the early 1970’s. From a nation which, like others, ruthlessly exploited whales in the nineteenth century it now promotes a worldwide ban on commercial whaling.
From 1991 opposition to whaling became official when the promotion of a local ban on commercial whaling entered New Zealand Government policy. After a 200-year association with whaling, New Zealand is now a ‘committed conservation country.’
This history of whaling in the southern seas, along with everything else you would ever want to know about whales, was featured in the major exhibiton “Whales/Tohora,” at New Zealand’s National Museum, Te Papa in Wellington.
Whales and Maori - A Special Connection
The exhibition at Te Papa had a particularly New Zealand flavour, showing the special relationship between whales and the Maori of New Zealand in pre European times. When a whale was beached Maori people welcomed the meat, bone, and ivory that could be gathered. Strandings provided enormous amounts of protein – something not readily available in a place with no large, naturally occurring land mammals. Weapons were made out from the bone and ornaments from the ivory.
Whale Riding
The exhibition's Whale Rider Theatre featured Maori culture's rich whale-riding stories and traditions. Many tribes have their particular legends and heroes. The stories often tell of an originating ancestor’s arrival to New Zealand shores. The tradition of the famous whale-riding ancestor Paikea inspired the Oscar-nominated film Whale Rider.
Whale Skeletons
Whales/Tohora offered a rich assortment of objects from Te Papa's huge whale collection. Skeletons up to 18 metres long were displayed, along with fossils, models and specimens from many whale species. Beautiful taonga (cultural treasures) made from highly prized whale bone and whale teeth gave evidence of the revered status of the whale.
Two sperm whale skeletons were a highlight of the exhibition and have relationships with iwi (Maori):-
- Tu Hononga - the Male Sperm Whale Skeleton - The male sperm whale skeleton is named Tu Hononga and was gifted to Te Papa by Te Kawerau a Maki in 2006. It was collected in 2003 as part of a mass stranding of twelve sperm whales on Karekare beach, West Auckland, New Zealand.
- Hinewainui - the Female Sperm Whale Skeleton - The female sperm whale skeleton is named Hinewainui and was gifted to Te Papa by Ngati Kere, in 1992. It was collected in 1992 at Herbertville in southern Hawke's Bay
Te Papa's Whale Lab was interactive science at its best. Diving with a sperm whale, pursuing a giant squid, or checking out how whales use sound to hunt and to navigate were all part of the exhibiton. You can still get some of this fun on line at Te Papa's website.
Venues for the Whales / Tohora Exhibition
On Sunday evening 11 May 2008 Te Papa closed Whales/Tohora. Over 140,000 people had visited the exhibition. During the morning several killer whales, or orca, played by the fountain in Wellington's Oriental Bay, just near Te Papa, much to the delight and amazement of several of the Whales exhibiton team members. “We like to think it was a sign!”
For Te Papa staff and iwi partners who contributed to the exhibiton the closing was a sad and moving event. “We gave the exhibiton a poroporoaki (farewell) and blessed the taonga in preparation for the tour to the first international venue in Washington DC." Te Papa says the exhbiton had an impact on many people.
The exhibition is now touring and headed to the United States. It opens on 15 October 2008 at the National Geographic Museum Washington D.C. Then, on 28 February 2009 the exhibiton will open at the Exploration Place, Kansas.
