Hītori o te whenua
History of the land
Apihai Te Kawau was the paramount chief of the Auckland region during the early to mid-19th century. He was the grandson of the war chief Tuperiri, who invaded and conquered these lands around 1750.Ko Apihai Te Kawau te rangatira o Tāmaki Makaurau i te tīmatanga ki ngā tau waenga o te rautau 19. Ko ia te mokopuna o te rangatira pakanga, a Tuperiri, nānā i whakaeke i ēnei whenua i ngā tau 1750.
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Māori art
Pātikitiki
The pātikitiki or pātiki pattern represents the flounder, a flatfish found in the bays and estuaries of the Waitematā and Manukau harbours. It symbolises abundance and the Māori value of manaakitanga, the care and hospitality extended to visitors at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.E tohu ana te tauira pātikitiki, pātiki rānei, i te ika papatahi kei ngā whanga me ngā wahapū o te Waitematā, o Manukau. E tohu ana tēnei tauira i te makuru me te manaakitanga. Ko taua manaakitanga hoki ki ngā manuhiri o Toi o Tāmaki.
Māori commissions
Three artworks were commissioned from Māori artists for permanent display in the Gallery when the building was redeveloped in 2011. These commissions form part of the fabric of the building, linking it to the outside world and acting as threshold markers inside.
Haerewa
Meet the Gallery's Māori Advisory Group, Haerewa. Established in 1994, Haerewa is a voice for Māori artists and Māori art.
Upcoming events
13 Sep 2026
Free
18 Sep 2026
Free
19 Sep 2026 - 20 Sep 2026
Free
19 Sep 2026 - 20 Sep 2026
Free