Exhibition 'For the record: documenting the 1975 Māori Land March'

In September 1975, 50 members of Te Matakite o Aotearoa (Those with Foresight) embarked on an epic 1,100km march from Te Hāpua in the Far North to Parliament, protesting the alienation of Māori land and the erosion of Māori rights.

When they reached Parliament on 13 October, their number had swelled to 5,000, and they carried a petition of 60,000 signatures demanding that "Not One More Acre of Māori Land" be compulsorily taken by the Crown.

The 1975 Land March is remembered as a seminal protest, the original hīkoi that inspired many to follow, yet primary documentation of the event remains limited. 

This exhibition explores how the Land March was preserved through analogue technology. It celebrates the dedication of a handful of individuals, with limited means, who documented this milestone event. Visitors are invited to compare the paucity of resources they had at their disposal in stark contrast to the abundance of digital data such an event would generate today. 

Featuring University of Auckland postgraduate Anthropology student Dieter Meyer’s interviews with leading figures; the iconic photography of Christian Heinegg; Geoff Steven’s landmark documentary Te Matakite o Aotearoa, and contemporary media coverage, this exhibition showcases how the Māori Land March was seen and recorded by those who were there to witness and document, rather than actively participate.