Los Angeles is hosting a beautiful conversation across oceans and centuries. At the Fowler Museum at UCLA, the new exhibition Uhengaparaoa, Taonga Tuku Iho: Ancestral Gifts and Contemporary Maori Art brings ancient and contemporary Maori art into dialogue, from October 11, 2026 through May 16, 2027.
At the heart of the show is a treasured kaitaka, a finely woven flax cloak from the Fowler’s collection that the Whakatohea community of Aotearoa New Zealand regards as an ancestor. In response, contemporary Whakatohea artists have created new works that honor and extend the tradition: woven kete baskets and kakahu garments, alongside pieces made with feathers, recycled materials and bold new forms.
The exhibition takes its inspiration from Uhengaparaoa, a renowned Whakatohea weaver who traveled to share her raranga (weaving) knowledge with other communities. That generous spirit fills the galleries, where visitors can see how matauranga Maori, Maori knowledge, stays alive and evolving, connecting identity, land (whenua) and genealogy (whakapapa).
Admission to the Fowler Museum is free, making this joyful celebration of weaving as a living practice an easy and inspiring day out in Westwood. Happy City News recommends taking your time with every thread.
Photo: Archives New Zealand / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
