Paul Diamond: Reflections On Being a Māori Curator

In 2010 the role of Curator, Māori was established at the Alexander Turnbull Library as part of a major restructure. It was the latest in a line of Māori-specific positions that commenced 30 years earlier. Unlike other curatorial roles this was a subject specialist role, but with no dedicated Māori collection. Instead, the position had influence that ranged across all of the Library’s collections. In this presentation, Paul Diamond (Ngāti Hauā, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi), the inaugural Curator, Māori gives an overview of the highlights and challenges of his time holding the role.

Paul Diamond received the Friends of the Turnbull Research Grant in 2007. He is the author of A Fire in Your Belly: Māori leaders speak (2003); Makereti: Taking Māori to the world (2007); Savaged to Suit: Māori and cartooning in New Zealand (2018); and Downfall: The destruction of Charles Mackay (2022). He has previously worked as an oral historian and broadcaster, and in 2017 was awarded Creative New Zealand’s Berlin Writer’s Residency. Downfall was selected as a finalist in the 2022 Ockham NZ Book Awards and the 2023 Ngaio Marsh Awards.

Doors open at 6 pm. Light refreshments served on arrival. Gold coin donation appreciated.
RSVP: Email TakapunaEvents@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or via Eventbrite https://tinyurl.com/3feybp7b