Join us for a kōrero with Angela Wanhalla, Professor of History at the University of Otago, about some of the lesser-known aspects of Canterbury’s WWII Home Front story. Stories from the Canterbury Home Front during WWII This illustrated talk will explore the women who married American servicemen, and their fate, through to Māori engagement in…

Join us on the 29th of May for a Cultural Awareness Workshop showcasing Samoa! This is the fourth of a series of workshops held at the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum in partnership with the Hakatere Multicultural Council and Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury. This exciting workshop will be led by Celia Colcord, a Samoan-born…

Join us for a kōrero with David Littlewood, Senior History Lecturer at Massey University, about some of the lesser-known aspects of Canterbury’s WWII Home Front story. Sharing the Burdens: Conscription in Canterbury during WWII During the initial stages of the Second World War, the New Zealand government adopted sweeping powers to conscript men into the…

Join us in celebrating the Māori New Year by making your own manu tukutuku, a Māori kite which is often flown during Matariki and Puaka/Puanga celebrations. Your manu tukutuku will be displayed in our upcoming exhibition Puaka: A Star on the Rise, which will provide a tranquil space for the community to reflect on the…

10AM – 4PM daily Free | Drop-in While Matariki is celebrated by many iwi across Aotearoa to mark the Māori New Year, Kāi Tahu in Te Waipounamu also celebrates Puaka/Puanga. Puaka is the brightest star in the Orion constellation and is more visible than Matariki here in Hakatere Ashburton. Over the July school holidays, we…

10AM – 4PM daily Free | Drop-in We have been fortunate enough to secure Colossal Squid: Freaky Features! Te Ngū Tipua: Ngā Wāhanga Weriweri! from Te Papa! To celebrate this, we are inviting tamariki and rangatahi to make their own Colossal Squid using recycled materials.

10AM – 4PM daily Free | Drop-in If you are looking for something to do over Matariki weekend, come along and take part in our Puaka activities including making a manu tukutuku.

Interested in learning about matauranga Māori and the natural resources of Aotearoa? Join us for a one-day manu tukutuku workshop with the wonderful Vicky King, who will share her passion for toi Māori and knowledge of working with traditional fibres with those wishing to learn. The manu tukutuku Māori kites will be made from natural…