Te Papa has today announced it will "renew" its Te Tiriti o Waitangi display to "meet the needs of today" following criticism over an English version of the founding document.
Twelve people were arrested after a wooden display panel showing the English translation of the Tiriti was damaged with spray paint and an angle grinder in a protest last Monday.
Te Papa chief executive Courtney Johnston and Māori co-leader Dr Arapata Hakiwai confirmed the decision today in a statement.
"The purpose of this exhibition is to provide space for conversations about the Treaty, and it needs to change to meet the needs of today," they said.
"Te Tiriti o Waitangi is important for all New Zealanders, and now is an appropriate time to move resource to this area."
Johnston and Hakiwai said work is now underway but the consultation process is expected to take time.
"As we reimagine this exhibition, we are committed to a process that involves communities and creates a space for authentic, honest and informed conversations about Te Tiriti o Waitangi," they said.
The Signs of a Nation exhibit has been at the museum since it opened in 1998. While it has undergone changes "a number of times" over the years, Johnston and Hakiwai said the move "would be the first full renewal of the area".
The defaced panel will remain on display at the museum over the summer as specialist equipment is required to remove it.
"Open, honest conversations are important to us, and we can see it is provoking rich, thoughtful kōrero among our visitors," they said.
Johnston and Hakiwai acknowledged the message behind the protest action and the discourse around the Tiriti.
"We have heard the message of this protest action, and we have heard the many and varied responses to it," they said.
The panel will be removed and stored at a later stage.
No decisions have been made about whether it would become part of Te Papa’s collections.
Te Papa is carrying out a full review of the protest incident.
SHARE ME