Looking after the Taonga around the World A Maori Exhibition in Paris and Quebec City

L'exposition E Tu Ake: Standing Strong (Maori debout) concue par le musee national de Nouvelle-Zelande, le Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, fut presentee en 2011-2012 au Musee du quai Branly, a Paris, et en 2012-2013 au Musee de la civilisation, a Quebec. Sont discutes ici les resultats preliminaires d'une recherche comparative portant sur la conception et la reception de cette exposition itinerante: ses permanences et transformations au sein des differentes institutions, les effets de la volonte des Maori de maintenir la dimension rituelle des objets. Il s'agit de reflechir a l'exposition comme une 'vue de l'Autre', au double sens d'un regard porte par les Maori sur eux-memes et leurs objets, et d'un regard porte sur eux a travers leurs objets et leur mise en scene. Le croisement de ces regards permet de saisir l'exposition comme creatrice d'un espace de reflexion sur Soi et sur le rapport a l'alterite, que ce soit au niveau des equipes des musees ou de leurs visiteurs. Ces questionnements prirent des tonalites differentes en fonction des traditions museales et nationales. Nous explorons ces processus en portant une attention particuliere au traitement des objets et aux usages des corps The exhibition E Tu Ake : Standing Strong (Maori debout) was produced by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, a national museum. It was presented in Paris, at the Musee du quai Branly (2011-2012), and in Quebec city, at the Musee de la civilisation (2012-2013). In this paper, we discuss the preliminary results of a comparative research on the development and design as well as reception of this exhibition. This research looks at the continuities and transformations of the exhibition in the different institutions, and at the effects of the Maori affirmation of the ritual dimension of the objects. The point is to think the exhibition as the 'other's point of view', meaning the ways Maori look at themselves and their objects, but also as 'a view on the other' through their objects and their staging. The crisscrossing perspectives show that the exhibition opens a space for reflection on oneself and the other. This emerges from the interviews with the museums' staff as well as with visitors. The interrogations' types and contents vary according to the museum and the national traditions. We explore these processes giving due attention to the uses of objects and bodies. Adapted from the source document.