Te Wānanga O Aotearoa And Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust To Host Delegation From Pitt Rivers Museum

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust to host delegation fromPitt Rivers Museum,University of Oxford Delegation and formalise Māori Curatorial Partnership

TeWānanga o Aotearoa andTeMāori Manaaki Taonga Trust will jointly welcome a distinguished delegation from thePitt Rivers Museum,University of Oxford to Aotearoathis month, marking a significant milestone in indigenous-led international collaboration.

The visit will culminate in a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony atTeWānanga o AotearoaMāngerecampus on Thursday,30 April 2026.

Central to this partnership is the establishment of two Māori Curatorial Residencies with the Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford. The residencies signal a shared commitment to advancing Māori curatorial practice, cultural stewardship, and the exchange of knowledge through international partnership.

“This relationship reflects the strength of our collective commitment to advancing mātauranga Māori on a global stage,” saysEvie O’Brien,TeKura Toroa–Chief Executive OfficerofTeWānanga o Aotearoa.

“Through this partnership withTeMāori Manaaki Taonga Trust andPitt Rivers Museum,we are creating meaningful opportunities for indigenous knowledge systems to be shared, respected and strengthened across international contexts. It also provides an extraordinary opportunity for our Māori residents to undertake world-class learning through the mentorship from Pitt Rivers Museum staff.”

The formal ceremony will acknowledge the relationship between Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust and Pitt Rivers Museum, and the shared vision underpinning the residencies and future collaboration.

Che Wilson, Chair of Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust, said the partnershiprepresentsan important stepforward in the global recognition of tiaki taonga and Māori cultural leadership.

“This collaboration is grounded in tikanga andour shared responsibility as kaitiaki of taonga andknowledge,”saysWilson.

“The establishment of these residencies with Pitt Rivers Museum creates space for Māori voices, perspectives and practices to be present and active within international institutions, while strengthening relationships based on mutual respect and learning.”

With high-profile visitors from Aotearoa and the United Kingdom expected to attend, the pōwhiri and signing ceremonyrepresent a broaderkaupapa centred on connection, reciprocity and the ongoing revitalisation of mātaurangaMāori within global contexts.

About Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is Aotearoa’s largest Māori-centred tertiary education provider, dedicated to whānau transformation and grounded in mātauranga Māori. With sites across the motu, the organisation delivers programmes that support learners,communitiesand cultural knowledge.

About Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust

Te Māori Manaaki Taonga Trust is committed to the protection,advancementand global recognition of taonga Māori and indigenous knowledge systems, supporting initiatives that strengthen cultural stewardship, curatorialpracticeand international collaboration.

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