Waiariki MP and Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says all New Zealanders can take immense pride in the 43 woven artworks that now grace the walls of the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York.
A small contingent of the weavers travelled to New York to help install the panels and participate in the unveiling ceremony. The woven panels were created by 70 artists from around the country under the guidance of Rotoiti weaver Christina Wirihana.
"These tukutuku are a stunning representation of our culture and our country. More than one million people every year will get to see these taonga," said Mr Flavell.
Standing nearly 2m high, the panels were installed and unveiled at a special dawn ceremony held last Friday. Former Maori Affairs Minister, Dr Pita Sharples instigated the project, after signing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on behalf of the New Zealand government, in 2010.
"Appropriately, the legal agreement reached between the UN and New Zealand is a significant departure from usual UN policy and is in keeping with the spirit of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
"This landmark agreement allows for the gifting of the panels to the UN; whilst also recognising the intellectual property rights of the weavers, their families and communities," Mr Flavell said.
Mr Flavell said traditionally once a gift was accepted by the UN it normally retained all the intellectual property rights.
In the Declaration, the New Zealand government aspires to maintain and protect Maori rights to exercise and control traditional knowledge and cultural expressions and the associated intellectual property.
"In New Zealand, we are used to seeing tukutuku in our whare tupuna (meeting houses). Now these treasures adorn the walls of one of the greatest meeting houses in the world."
Mr Flavell had planned to go to the unveiling ceremony in New York but due to the death of Ngati Porou leader Dr Apirana Mahuika he returned home early and did not attend the unveiling ceremony).
