He Tohu official opening date confirmed

31 January 2017

This is to advise you the opening date for He Tohu, a new permanent exhibition of three founding documents of New Zealand, is Friday 19 May 2017 at the National Library of New Zealand. The exhibition will be open to the public from the following day, Saturday 20 May 2017.

He Tohu will be officially opened by The Governor-General, Her Excellency The Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy and attended by invited guests.

He Tohu exhibition has been developed in partnership between the Crown and Māori since mid-2014. Iwi Māori from throughout the country, also women’s groups, will be represented at the official opening.

More information about timing and media opportunities on the day will be sent to you closer to the date.

What is He Tohu?
It is a new permanent exhibition of three constitutional documents that shape our nation:

• 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni - Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand
• 1840 Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Treaty of Waitangi
• 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition – Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine - The taonga are currently at Archives New Zealand, in Wellington, in a display opened in 1990 by the then Governor-General, Sir Paul Reeves, which is now at the end of its life.

The new exhibition will be located in the National Library of New Zealand building opposite Parliament, although the documents remain under the statutory care of Archives New Zealand.

What is the new exhibition intended to provide?

• Preservation of the taonga for future generations. Archives New Zealand and National Library conservators are working to preserve the documents for many generations to come. The ongoing care of our national historical documents is a statutory responsibility of the Chief Archivist, under the Public Records Act 2005.
• Improved access for all New Zealanders to these three constitutional documents that shape us as a nation – hence the location in the more publicly visited National Library building, with its larger space that will be open six days a week.
• On-site and online learning opportunities for all New Zealanders, with a focus on 10 to 15 year olds.

Media Contact: DIA media team 027 5358639



Kua whakatauhia te rā whakatuwheratanga mō He Tohu

He whakamōhio noa tēnei ki a koe mō te rā whakatuwheratanga mō He Tohu, he whakaaturanga tūmau o ngā tuhinga tūāpapa e toru o Aotearoa, ko te Paraire te 19 o Haratua 2017 ki Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa i Te Whanganui-a-Tara i te tīmatanga o te 2017. Ka tuwhera te whakaaturanga ki te iwi whânui mai i te rā i muri mai, te Rā horoi te 20 o Haratua 2017.

Ka whakarewaina a He Tohu e te Kāwana-Tianara, a Hōnore Kahurangi Patsy Reddy, ā, he mea tuku ngā pōwhiri ki ngâ manuhiri kia tae ake.

He mea waihanga tahi te whakaaturanga a He Tohu i waenga i te Karauna me te iwi Māori mai i waenga o te tau 2014. Ka tae mai ngâ mângai o ngā iwi Māori mai i te motu whânui me ngā rōpū wāhine ki te whakatuwheratanga.

Kia tata haere atu ki te rā ka tukuna atu ngā whakamārama mō ngā wā me ngā whai wāhitanga pāpāho i te rā.

He aha He Tohu?
He whakaaturanga tūmau hou tēnei o ngā tuhinga tūāpapa e toru i puta ai tō tātau whenua:

• 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni
• 1840 Te Tiriti o Waitangi
• 1893 Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine - Kei Te Rua Mahara o Te Kāwanatanga, i Te Whanganui-a-Tara, ngā taonga i tēnei wā, i tētahi whakaaturanga i whakatuwheratia e te Kāwana Tianara o taua wā a Tā Paul Reeves i te tau 1990, â, kua tae ināianei ki tōna mutunga.

Ka noho te whakaaturanga hou ki te whare o Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa kei rāwāhi mai o Te Whare Paremata, engari ka noho tonu ngā tuhinga ki raro i ngā manaakitanga ā-ture o Te Rua Mahara o Te Kāwanatanga.

He aha te kaupapa o te whakaaturanga hou?

• Ko te rokiroki o ngā taonga mā ngā reanga o muri mai. Kei te mahi ngā kaitiaki o Te Rua Mahara o Te Kāwanatanga me Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa ki te rokiroki i ngā tuhinga mā ngā reanga maha e ara mai nei. He kawenga ā-ture nā te Kaipūranga Matua te manaaki pūmau i ā tātau tuhinga hītori i raro i te Public Records Act 2005.
• He pai ake te whai wâhi mai mō ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa ki ēnei tuhinga tūāpapa ā-ture i puta ai tātau hei whenua – nō reira koinā i whakatûhia ai ki te whare o Te Puna Mâtauranga he nui ake te haerehia, he nui ake te wāhi, ā, he roa ake ngā haora tuwhera.
• Ngā whai wāhitanga akoranga ki reira tonu, ā-tuihono hoki mō ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa, me te aro hoki ki te hunga 10 ki te 15 tau.

Whakapā Pāpāho: Rōpū pāpāho DIA 027 5358639