New Fund Brings Children to Award-Winning He Tohu Exhibition
School children from the north and south of the country will visit He Tohu, at the National Library of New Zealand, Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa, Molesworth Street, Wellington today, thanks to the
new Te Puna Foundation Travel Fund for Schools.
He Tohu is a permanent exhibition of New Zealand’s iconic historic documents: the 1835 He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu
Tireni – Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand; 1840 Te Tiriti o Waitangi – Treaty of
Waitangi, and the 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition – Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine.
He Tohu aims to enhance learning opportunities about the historical, constitutional and cultural significance of these documents
for young New Zealanders.
The Foundation, the fundraising body of the National Library of New Zealand, is working to ensure children from across
the country get to experience this important national exhibition at least once in their school lives. The Government is
matching donations to Te Puna Foundation dollar for dollar up to a total of $2m.
Air New Zealand is also donating 20,000 Airpoints DollarsTM to support this new travel fund for schools.
“He Tohu was designed with young people in mind, with the vision: ‘He whakapapa kōrero, he whenua kura, talking about our past to
create a better future’ says the Chair of Te Puna Foundation, and head of the National Library, Bill Macnaught. “Since
opening in May, the public have embraced He Tohu, with 25,000 visitors including around 4000 school pupils, engaging with these documents that have shaped our nation.’’
Pupils from Rāwhiti School in Christchurch and from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whangaroa, Northland, will visit He Tohu today as the inaugural recipients of Te Puna Foundation Travel Fund for Schools.
To learn more about the Te Puna Foundation, or to donate, go to
He Tohu is presented by Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga and the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna
Mātauranga o Aotearoa, both of which are part of the Department of Internal Affairs. The documents remain under the
guardianship and care of the Chief Archivist and Archives New Zealand. For more information, go to
ENDS