La pierre sacrée des Māori — Musée du quai Branly — Exhibition — Slash Paris

Past: May 23 → October 1, 2017

Next stop New Zealand, on the trail of jade, the sacred stone of the Maori. An object of fascination and a delicate material used in ancestral art, this stone believed to have magical virtues remains closely tied to the stories and legends of the Maori people.

Found only in the south-west of the archipelago, in a protected territory bordered by glaciers and fjords, the green gold of New Zealand, jade (pounamu in the Maori language), bathes in the rivers of the Te Waipounamu (“the Water(s) of Greenstone”) region from which it takes its name. A noble material, a symbol of strength and an object of fascination, this prestigious stone, elevated to the status of treasure, is at the heart of many beliefs, stories and legends of the Maori people.

The exhibition, designed by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, showcases the rich collections of jade housed at this museum. Spanning several centuries, it presents sculptures and small objects carved in this precious mineral invested with magical powers. Almost two hundred rare taonga (treasures) — including a rich collection of hei tiki pendants — sit alongside equally precious everyday objects. All of these channel the mana of their possessor, a supernatural force inherited from the divinities or ancient spirits and carefully passed down from generation to generation.

This exhibition was developed and presented by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and the Ngāi Tahu iwi.