A ‘first-of-its-kind’ exhibition showcasing Moriori culture is coming to Tūhura Otago Museum. Hou Rongo – Moriori, Music, Manawa, the result of a partnership between the Hokotehi Moriori Trust and a team of Otago researchers and students, aims to take a multimedia approach to immerse visitors in the feeling of visiting Rēkohu (Chatham Island).
Open from September 14th to October 27th, the exhibition is free and features a range of attractions including augmented reality, an immersive soundscape, and 3D printed replicas of the two only known historic Moriori flutes. Eat your heart out, Hocken.
Several students from the Science Communication department were lucky enough to be involved in the project as part of their Masters. This involved learning from the community of traditional artists and putting their teachings into some epic practice.
Critic Te Ārohi spoke to Rhys Latton, one of the students involved, who told us he “felt incredibly privileged to be involved.” Rhys’s contribution to the exhibition is a video projection that was inspired by the natural rhythms found on Rēkohu. With the video, Rhys encourages visitors to stop, take a minute, and ground themselves – a bit like those deep breathing TikToks on your FYP.
Abi Liddell, another student creative, expressed to Critic Te Ārohi just how significant she felt the exhibition is. “It’s a first-of-its-kind exhibition being shown in Ōtepoti for free, and part of the revitalisation of a culture historically marginalised and overlooked,” she said.
Abi had a simple message to her fellow students: “You’d be a bit silly not to check it out.” Abi was a production assistant on Hou Rongo: Reviving Moriori Culture, which is a 20-minute documentary screening included in the exhibition. She also edited a triptych panel (a projection of images across three panels) that will screen within the space.
Set in the museum’s Science Gallery, the exhibition will see you transported 1,046km northeast across the Pacific to Rēkohu. Hou Rongo was developed through a partnership of the Hokotehi Moriori Trust and a multidisciplinary team of researchers from both Sciences and Humanities at the University of Otago, with support from an MBIE Smart Ideas Grant.