Program Māori Weekend

Waka rowing & paddling (demonstration + workshop): 
During this demonstration, student rowing association Njord will ceremoniously sail in the waka, after which you can attend the waka paddling workshop. Here you will learn to paddle the waka yourself.   

Practical: Saturday and Sunday / all ages / Free activity / based on availability / All ages, swimming certificate required / Museum grounds front/ / between 13.00-16:30.  

Dry paddling (workshop): 
Don't have a swimming certificate yet, but want to learn to paddle the waka? Then you can join the dry paddling workshop. Dry on land, but along the water.   

Practical: Saturday and Sunday / free activity / subject to availability / All ages / Museum garden/ Continuous between 13.00 and 4:30 p.m. 

Headband and bracelet making (workshop) 
In this workshop you will learn to make a headband or a bracelet with the guidance of an expert.  

Practical: Saturday and Sunday / Free activity / based on availability / From 6 years old/ museum café / 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.  

Actions songs (workshop) 
During the workshop you will learn about the meaning of action songs (waiata- ā-ringa) and how to perform the correct movements to them.   

Practical: Saturday and Sunday / Free activity / Based on availability / From 6 years old / World lab Game Room / 1:30-14:00 pm, 2:30-15:00 pm and 3:30-16:00 pm.  

The Tī Rākau (activity)
The Tī Rākau is a game where you rhythmically throw sticks at the person across from you. This becomes increasingly difficult as the speed increases as well. The trick is not to drop the sticks. Join this workshop to learn how to do this as quickly and well as an experienced Māori.   

Practical: Saturday and Sunday / Free activity / Subject to availability / From 6 years old / Circulation 1st floor / Continuous between 12.00-16.30  

Tā moko: get a temporary tattoo (activity) 
Tā moko is the Māori word for tattoo, a permanent decoration on the body and face. Tattoos represent social status, family history and personal identity. You can get a temporary tā moko on June 24 and 25 and learn about the motifs and designs behind these decorations.

Practical: Saturday and Sunday / Free activity / Based on availability / From 5 years of age / Circulating 1st floor / Continuous between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m.  

Matariki stories (Storytelling in the museum) 
Matariki is the Māori name for a group of seven stars, also called the Pleiades group in the Netherlands. The moment this star cluster appears in the sky marks the beginning of the Māori calendar. Shortly thereafter, the new moon comes into view and the Māori celebrate their new year. They then thank the earth and pay their respects. Since 2022, Matariki has also been an official holiday in New Zealand, celebrated this year on July 14 with performances, art, food and storytelling. During this storytelling, learn more about what Matariki is and the stories associated with it.  

Practical: Saturday and Sunday / free activity / based on availability / gather at the entrance / From 10 years old / 1:00-13:30 p.m., 2:00-14:30 p.m., 3:00-15:30 p.m. / language of instruction English & Dutch 

Māori and whales (Lecture)
New Zealand's Māori and whales have had a close relationship for centuries. In this lecture given by Oceania curator Wonu Veys, we learn about the role of whales as protectors of great sailing voyages, ancestors and current generations. Whales were also an important food source, an economic product in 19th-century whaling and are still a beloved and honored material in artifacts.  

Practical: Sunday only / free activity / subject to availability / Great Hall / Lecture culture lovers (10 years and older) / 1:30-14:30 p.m. / language Dutch

Waka and the future (lecture): Te Hono ki Aotearoa - Keeping the connection, beyond the horizon 
A well-known Māori scholar and academic, Te Rangihiroa (Sir Peter Buck) coined the phrase "The Nomadic Vikings of the Sunrise," referring to the Māori ancestors who traversed the largest ocean surface in the world and traveled beyond the horizon.  They set sail and discovered new islands. When that failed, they always found their way back to the destination from which they left, using their nautical, navigational and celestial skills as evidence of their courage and survival. After 13 years of collaboration around Te Hono ki Aotearoa with the museum and Njord, what does the future look like? 

Practical: Sunday only / free activity / subject to availability / large auditorium / adult lecture / 3:30-5:00 p.m. / English language spoken