About

Ngā Roimata o Takapūneke: Tears of Takapūneke is dedicated to those Ngāi Tahu tīpuna whose lives, loves, dreams and fears were played out in the Akaroa landscape. The peaks, valleys and bays of the harbour are imbued with their histories. This exhibition is a celebration of the rich cultural landscape that is their legacy.

Ngā Roimata translates as ‘the tears’ and is a dual reference to both Ngā Roimata, the daughter of Te Maiharanui (the Upoko Ariki of Ngāi Tahu in the early 19th century) and also to the deep sadness associated with Takapūneke where a series of tragic events unfolded in the 1830s that led to the deaths of Te Maiharanui, Ngā Roimata and many other Ngāi Tahu people.

Using images, text and oral history interviews, the exhibition places the history of Takapūneke within the wider cultural landscape of Akaroa Harbour. A selection of significant taonga from the Akaroa area provide a superb and meaningful addition to the exhibition which is a collaborative project of Akaroa Museum, Akaroa Civic Trust, Ōnuku Rūnanga, New Zealand Historic Places Trust and Canterbury Museum.