People are being encouraged to come and see how Māori stone artefacts are examined and catalogued at Tūhura Otago Museum. They are also welcome to bring in any artefacts they have found for identification by experts, in a bid to gather more historical insights about the artefacts and the region - timed in with New Zealand Archaeological week in May.

Tūhura Otago Museum Curator Māori Dr Gerard O’Regan, supported by archaeologist Dr Chris Jennings, are leading the charge to gain a wider understanding of what artefacts are out there that could hold historical and cultural significance, especially finding those with links to excavations that have occurred over the decades around Tiwai Point.

The Tiwai peninsula, around the entrance to Bluff Harbour in Southland has been a significant site of industry for around 600 years. Studies on the site have indicated that Tiwai Point was a settlement focused on stone tool production, especially toki (adzes) of different designs and sizes used for shaping wood.

More recently, eleven tonnes of stone artefacts and faunal material – the remains of hunting, fishing and shellfish gathering, extracted from Tiwai in 1968, (and have been in storage for 57 years), was relocated to University of Otago this year for survey analysis, review, and cataloguing – under the name the Tiwai Collection.

The Tiwai Collection is led by Te Rūnaka o Awarua, the local Ngāi Tahu tribal authority for the peninsula, with support and funding from Rio Tinto New Zealand Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) who operate the aluminium smelter on the peninsula.

“We know there is more archaeological material that members of the public have relating to Tiwai and indeed the wider Southland and Otago regions,” says Dr O’Regan. “Over the years many families and enthusiastic individuals have found and collected Māori artefacts from our southern beaches. By assessing what people have unearthed and collected at different times, we all learn more about the history around us. It’s also about ensuring there’s an accurate record of all the artefacts discovered in the region and its significance to our past,” he says.

The focus of this week’s project, Kā taoka o Tiwai – Treasures of Tiwai, is a review of artefacts recovered by the McFarlane family from Tiwai peninsula in the late 1960’s. Following the archaeological excavations taking place at Tiwai Point, the McFarlane family have looked to return the artefacts they found to Te Rūnaka o Awarua.

“The family acknowledge that the artefacts have value and knowledge relevant to Southern New Zealand, and therefore recognise the importance of understanding and cataloguing the taoka,” says Dr O’Regan. “Other people who have artefacts they want to get identified are also welcome to bring them along to the Kā taoka o Tiwai cataloguing workshop, which is taking place at the Tūhura Otago Museum 10am – 4pm Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th of May, during New Zealand Archaeology Week.”

“As the generations that discovered those artefacts are getting older, it is important to recognise and document the significance of these findings. The last thing we want is valuable material to end up in storage or even the rubbish tip, with its true story untold,” says Tiwai Collection Project Manager Wayne Marriott.

“It’s about promoting a wider public understanding of the whakapapa and archaeological discoveries made at Tiwai Point,” says Dion Williams, Community and Social Performance Manager at Rio Tinto NZAS.

“Being part of this work has been an absolutely privilege for Rio Tinto/NZAS , and we cannot wait to see the discoveries on display for the public to see,” he says.

About New Zealand Archaeology Week

New Zealand Archaeology Week, running from 3 to 11 May 2025, was established by the New Zealand Archaeological Association, and aims to increase public awareness and highlight the importance of protecting our archaeological heritage by promoting the work of New Zealand archaeologists both at home and abroad. This will be the ninth New Zealand Archaeology Week and will comprise a variety of events around Aotearoa and content shared online. These events are being hosted by consultant archaeologists, museums, heritage organisations and iwi and will include public talks, historic walks, community events and displays across a number of regions. 

About Kā taoka o Tiwai – Treasures of Tiwai

Around the time of the 1969-1971 construction of the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter, the McFarlanes, a young family interested in archaeology, explored Tiwai Point and recovered numerous stone artefacts. Treasured by the family for many years, these artefacts are now finding their way south again. To help that a team of the family, curators and archaeologists will be sorting, cataloguing and repacking the artefacts. This work will be open for the public to come and see the taoka close up and learn what archaeologists look for in the artefacts. You are also welcome to bring in any other artefacts that you’d like to have identified and explained. This workshop is a partnership of the McFarlane family, Te Rūnaka o Awarua, New Zealand Aluminium Smelter and Tūhura Otago Museum. The workshop will take place on the 10th-11th May 2025 at Hutton Theatre, Tūhura Otago Museum.

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