George Pain taonga Maori collection on first display

Some 35 Maori artifacts/taonga Maori collected by late Martinborough businessman George Pain,  likely from the South Wairarapa region, are on exhibition in Wellington Museum for another month. 

The collection ranges from kete (flax baskets) to tewhatewha (a two-handed weapon), mere tangiwai (a club made from bowenite, a softer version of pounamu) , piupiu (short flax ceremonial kilt), hoe (gardening use) and tao (a long wooden spear).

It also includes functional objects like fishing hooks, stone adzes, knotted wood mallets and wooden carved walking sticks. 

Wellington Museum became custodians of the collection in 2004 after Pain’s widow Mary Pain donated them to Wellington City Council in 1944. The artifacts have remained unseen in storage and not been on public display until now. 

In a note on the exhibition which opened in December, Wellington Museum said that “unfortunately, the history of these taonga was not documented and they have been sitting silently in the collection store.”

“So we invited Māori artists from Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui (the greater Wellington region) to bring their knowledge to the collection and give life and warmth to these taonga.  

“The artists have not only enhanced our understanding of the Pain collection, they have also created new works that awhi (support, embrace) selected taonga and kōrero (speak) to the original makers.”

Pain, who collected taonga Māori throughout his life, in his youth worked as a travelling salesman and shepherd along Wairarapa’s east and south coasts. 

The exhibition, Te Ohonga/ The Awakening features new work by 19 Māori artists and artist collectives who whakapapa to Te Ātiawa, Taranaki, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Raukawa iwi and others. 

The Museum notes that “video interviews with the artists form part of the exhibition, document their responses to the George Pain collection and provide rare glimpses into the wealth of Māori creative spaces in the region.

The exhibition was developed by Wellington Museum in partnership with Toi Māori Aotearoa –  Māori Arts New Zealand.

Saturday 9 December – Monday 1 April | Open daily 10am – 5pm | Wellington Museum 

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