Kupe Sites: Ngā tapuwae o Kupe | Landmarks of the Great Voyager

Kupe Sites: Ngā tapuwae o Kupe | Landmarks of the Great Voyager
13 December 2025 – 13 February 2026
Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi Exhibition Gallery

Waitangi Treaty Grounds is proud to open Kupe Sites: Ngā tapuwae o Kupe | Landmarks of the Great Voyager, a powerful touring exhibition from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. This photographic showcase explores the landscapes, stories, and enduring legacy of Kupe, one of Aotearoa’s most significant ancestral navigators.

Featuring a series of striking black-and-white images captured by award-winning photographer Michael Hall, the exhibition highlights key sites across Aotearoa connected to Kupe’s journey. These photographs were created in collaboration with iwi from four regions with strong ancestral ties to Kupe: Northland, Wairarapa, Wellington, and Te Tauihu/the top of the South Island.

Kupe is regarded by many iwi as the great tupuna who discovered this land, with stories ranging from his pursuit of the giant octopus Te Wheke-a-Muturangi to tales of conflict, escape, and exploration. These narratives remain deeply rooted in the cultural identity of northern iwi, including at Waitangi, where Kupe stands as the tekoteko atop Te Whare Rūnanga.

Building on last year’s landmark exhibition Encountering Aotearoa, Ngā tapuwae o Kupe continues to explore Aotearoa’s historical landscapes through a uniquely Māori lens. Visitors are invited to journey through these powerful sites and discover how Kupe’s footsteps remain alive in the whenua today.

This exhibition will be on display at Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi Exhibition Gallery from 13 December 2025 until 13 February 2026.

Image shown: Te Kawau-a-toru, Marlborough – photographed by Michael Hall.