See This Canoe Being Carved Onsite at the Smithsonian

Exhibits of historic culture are always some of our favorites.  But a living exhibit?  That’s something to get really excited about!

Tuku Iho | Living Legacy kicks off at the Smithsonian July 22-30, and features Maori performers, dancers, tattoo artists, wood carvers, bronze works and weaponry displays.  And don’t miss the 20 foot waka (canoe) that will be carved onsite!

The indigenous people of New Zealand, Māori today make up 14% of the nation’s population. Their history, language and traditions are central to New Zealand’s identity and add a unique, dynamic experience for visitors.

Against the backdrop of taonga — sacred objects and treasures that tell the history of the respective tribes who use them — a group of artists will perform traditional dances and songs while Māori tattooists showcase the craft of tā moko and speakers lead artistic interactions on the influence of Māori culture and arts on life in the present day. Tuku Iho | Living Legacy is a fusion of the traditional and the contemporary.

And that canoe? Once completed and as part of the closing ceremony, the waka will be gifted to the Smithsonian Institution by New Zealand ambassador Tim Groser to become a permanent piece of the Smithsonian’s collection.