Description:

Kōtuia ngā Kete (Kōtuia) is a centralised online whare taonga managed by Te Papa that aggregates museum collections from across Aotearoa and shares museum information. Previously NZ Museums, the brief was to create a bicultural experience that reflects a broader understanding of Aotearoa and taonga, including marae and whare taonga.

The website is grounded in Te Ao Māori. The design embodies the natural world and the pūrākau o Ngā Kete Mātauranga. In the pūrākau, Tāne-nui-a-Rangi ascended to the twelfth heaven, returning with three baskets of knowledge, kete-tuatea, kete-tuauri, kete-aronui, and two sacred kohātu, Huka-a-Tai and Rehutai, which he buried in Papatūānuku.

The name, ‘Kōtuia ngā Kete,’ gifted by Pouako o reo Māori Lee Johnson, further embodies the whakaaro of the kaupapa and weaving together of the strands (organisations, taonga, collections, and knowledge systems) that create the kete.

The user experience is based on Tāne’s pursuit of knowledge. As you journey into the site, the dark Kōtuia brand recedes as the organisations and their taonga surface and take focus. Darkness transitions to light, symbolising the discovery of knowledge. The colour palette pays homage to ngā Atua Māori Papatūānuku, Ranginui, and Tangaroa.

Tangata whenua on the team and Te Papa’s Mātauranga Māori experts guided the project. There was also extensive engagement with museums, marae and whare taonga across Aotearoa. Kōtuia is a home for all taonga and collections, and a big community contributed to its design.