Sister city exhibition unites ancient cultures
09 Aug 2010
Japanese and New Zealand art works based on ancient traditions share the limelight in the latest exhibition at Dunedin’s award-winning Otago Museum.
‘Contemporary Traditions’, which opens on Saturday (14.08.2010), takes a modern look at the traditions of the Ainu people of northern Japan and the Kāi Tahu tribe of southern New Zealand.
The exhibition is a celebration of a long-standing bond - the 30-year sister city relationship between Otaru, Japan, and Dunedin, New Zealand.
Sister city museums
The Otago and Otaru museums have formed an important relationship over the years, working together on the exchange of many exhibitions.
Southern New Zealand, which includes the Otago region, is the traditional home of the Māori tribe known as Kāi Tahu. The Ainu are the indigenous people of northern Japan, which includes Hokkaido Island, on which Otaru is located.
Over 40 Ainu items have been brought together by the Otaru Museum, featuring distinctive bold motifs that have been passed from mother to daughter over generations. The selection includes clothing, tapestries and wood carving.
Kāi Tahu works include a broad range of media, from the traditional resources such as pounamu / New Zealand jade and indigenous wood, to more contemporary digital media works. Many use traditional materials in new ways, or reference traditional subject matter in new media.
Long-standing friendship
Contemporary Traditions: Dunedin & Otaru celebrate 30 years runs from 14 August - 7 November 2010.
Otago Museum’s exhibitions director Clare Wilson said it was "a pleasure to be working with Otaru Museum to create an exhibition which celebrates our longstanding friendship in a contemporary way, recognising the past but also signalling the future we will have together."
"Exhibitions are an important, tangible outcome from sister city relationships and they serve to broaden the cultural understanding of each community," Wilson said.
To mark the 30-year anniversary, a large Japanese delegation will visit from Otaru, and a celebration day is planned for 17 October.
During the celebrations, museum visitors will be invited to join in activities that will include everything from sushi making to muttonbird preparation, and cultural performances.
Background: Otago Museum
Otago Museum - 419 Great King Street, Dunedin - contains comprehensive displays of Māori and Pacific heritage, especially southern Māori culture.
There is also an excellent New Zealand natural history collection - from penguins to the extinct giant moa, fish, birds and insects.
Otago Museum was one of the first museums established in New Zealand. It has been twice honoured as New Zealand’s ‘best cultural and heritage attraction’ (2004 / 2005).
Background: Otaru & Dunedin
Otaru (pop: 155,460) is an important sea port on the west coast of Hokkaido Island, in northern Japan. The city - renowned for its beautiful and historic buildings, canal, museums, art galleries and creative culture - is a popular tourist destination.
Dunedin - on the South Island’s south-eastern coast - with its rich Scottish heritage, historic architecture, and New Zealand’s oldest university is a centre for arts and culture. Otago Peninsula has colonies of rare birds that are the focus of world-leading sustainability projects.
The original sister city agreement in 1980 was designed "to strengthen goodwill and foster international understanding and peace". Since then, the friendship between the two cities has generated frequent exchanges between schools, city officials and businesses.
Business connections have grown to include one of Dunedin’s iconic institutions - Speight’s Brewery is part of Lion Breweries, now owned by Japanese company Kirin. Japanese-owned Anzco Foods Ltd operates a meat processing factory in Dunedin, and several Dunedin companies have long-established trading relationships with Japan.
More information
NZ art and culture destinations
Otago Region
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