Decolonising conservation : caring for Maori meeting houses outside New Zealand

This book argues for an important shift in cultural heritage conservation, away from a focus on maintaining the physical fabric of material culture toward the impact that conservation work has on people's lives. In doing so, it challenges the commodification of sacred objects and places by western conservation thought and attempts to decolonize conservation practice. To do so, the authors examine conservation activities at Maori marae (meeting houses) located in the US, Germany, and England and contrasts them with changes in marae conservation in New Zealand. A key case study is the Hinemihi meeting house, transported to England in the 1890s where it was treated as a curiosity by visitors to Clandon Park for over a century, and more recently as a focal point of cultural activity for UK Maori communities. Recent efforts to include various Maori stakeholder communities in the care of this sacred structure is a key example of community based conservation that can be replicated in heritage practice around the world Cover......Page 1 Contents ......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 14 Series Editor’s Foreword......Page 16 Preface......Page 18 Introduction -- Dean Sully......Page 20 1. Colonising and Conservation -- Dean Sully......Page 28 2. The Protection of Taonga and Mäori Heritage in Aotearoa (New Zealand) -- Arapata Hakiwai......Page 46 3. Conserving Living Taonga: The Concept of Continuity -- Gamini Wijesuriya......Page 60 4. Marae Conservation in Aotearoa -- James Schuster and Dean Whiting......Page 72 5. Ruatepupuke II, The Field Museum, Chicago: The Past and Possible Future -- John Edward Terrell, Désirée CJ Wisse, and Christopher J Philipp......Page 90 6. The Care of Living Objects: Conserving Rauru and Te Wharepuni a Maui in Germany -- Eva Garbutt......Page 112 7. Introducing Hinemihi -- Dean Sully and Alan Gallop......Page 128 8. The National Trust and Hinemihi at Clandon Park -- Julie DeLong Lawlor and Katy Lithgow......Page 150 9. Hinemihi and the London Mäori Community -- Karl Burrows......Page 162 Poem: So Who Invited Tu? -- Rosanna Raymond......Page 174 10. Hinemihi and Ngäti (Tribe) Hinemihi -- James Schuster......Page 176 11. Hinemihi’s Return: A Legal Opinion -- Kathryn Last......Page 192 12. Conserving Hinemihi at Clandon Park, UK -- Dean Sully and Isabel Pombo Cardoso......Page 200 13. Decolonising Hinemihi and Conservation Practice -- Dean Sully......Page 222 Glossary of Maori Terms......Page 242 References......Page 248 Index......Page 264 About the Contributors......Page 270 Part I: Setting the Scene; Introduction -- Dean Sully1. Colonising and Conservation -- Dean SullyPart II: A View from Aotearoa2. The Protection of Taonga and Mäori Heritage in Aotearoa (New Zealand) / Arapata Hakiwai3. Conserving Living Taonga : The Concept of Continuity / Gamini Wijesuriya4. Marae Conservation in Aotearoa / James Schuster and Dean Whiting; Part III: Conserving Expatriate Meeting Houses5. Ruatepupuke II, The Field Museum, Chicago: The Past and Possible Future / John Edward Terrell, Désirée CJ Wisse, and Christopher J Philipp6. The Care of Living Objects: Conserving Rauru and Te Wharepuni a Maui in Germany / Eva Garbutt; Part IV: Hinemihi7. Introducing Hinemihi / Dean Sully and Alan Gallop8. The National Trust and Hinemihi at Clandon Park / Julie DeLong Lawlor and Katy Lithgow9. Hinemihi and the London Mäori Community / Karl BurrowsPoem: So Who Invited Tu? / Rosanna Raymond10. Hinemihi and Ngäti (Tribe) Hinemihi / James Schuster11. Hinemihi's Return : A Legal Opinion -- Kathryn Last12. Conserving Hinemihi at Clandon Park, UK -- Dean Sully and Isabel Pombo CardosoPart V: Conclusions13. Decolonising Hinemihi and Conservation Practice / Dean Sully This book challenges the commodification of sacred objects and places by western conservation thought by examining conservation activities at Maori marae-meeting houses-located in the US, Germany, and England, contrasted with changes in marae conservation in New Zealand.