New Kauri Museum director welcomed with powhiri

21 June, 2022

A new director has been formally welcomed to Matakohe’s Kauri Museum. Canadian Barbara Hilden arrived in New Zealand to take up the role in early June, and was formally welcomed to the museum with a powhiri on June 16.

Around 80 people gathered in the Matakohe Hall, adjacent to the museum, for a powhiri lead by museum trustee and kaumatua Hone Martin, supported by mana whenua from Te Uri o Hau.

From Vancouver, British Columbia, Barbara has been working for Puke Ariki Museum in New Plymouth since 2020 as the Collections and Curatorial Lead, although the Covid border restrictions has meant that she has been carrying out the work from Canada.

Earlier she curated and managed the Borealis Gallery in Edmonton, Canada, and worked as a Collections Consultant for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts where she cared for 17 Alberta provincial art collections supervising acquisitions, worked with artists and curators, and administered the various contemporary and historical collections.

Barbara has moved to Matakohe with her partner Tom Long. The couple spent three months in New Zealand in 2019, travelling from Stewart Island to Cape Reinga, and stopping at most of the Lord of the Rings sites in between.

“We had a great time exploring Northland, Paihia and Waitangi, but only got as close to Matakohe as Waipu. It is wonderful to finally get here and settle in to our new home,” she says.

One of the new director’s first tasks has been to take part in a ceremony to mark the museum’s Matariki exhibition. Kaiwaka School is one of six Kaipara area schools taking part the exhibition, which is running through until the end of the school holidays. The schools have created art panels based on the theme ‘Te Taiao’ (the environment/the natural world), using everything from paint, photography, collage, weaving and text.

“It is a great way to start my time here, with an exhibition that highlights the passions and talents of our community’s youth,” says Barbara. “They put their hearts and souls into these art projects and the result is quite stunning. I hope everyone will come and appreciate their hard work.”

Special items from the museum collection round out the exhibition. One of the highlights is one of two cloaks from the Joseph Gordon Coates collection.

Presented to the late Prime Minister in 1925, the korowai is made of cotton, wool, flax and feathers - which are probably ostrich. Also on display is a pre-1900 kete kiwi, given to the museum in 2000 after over 100 years in the donor’s family.

n Kauri Museum Matariki Exhibition open now until July 24.

Barbara Hilden, new Kauri Museum director, is welcomed with a powhiri. PHOTO/SUPPLIED