Unbeknownst to most, there are actually three carved wooden busts of Hongi, not just the one held by the Auckland War Museum.
The journey to bring the trio of busts, of Hongi, home to Aotearoa/New Zealand for the bicentennial commemorative events, in July 2021, has begun.
Auckland Museum Apr 2019 Sydney University June 2019 Brighton Museum Oct 2019
Our goal is to fund raise and gain support, in order to have the two busts held by the Brighton Museum in England, and the Chau Chak Wing Museum in Australia, brought to Aotearoa/New Zealand and united for the first, and probably, the only time; to provide the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand with a once in a lifetime cultural learning experience.
We are seeking support in the way of donations, which will be directed toward the customs, immigration and travel costs for this specific curatorial project; which will involve a collaborative effort between Auckland Museum, Chau Chak Wing Museum, Brighton Museum, Kiwi North Museum, Waitangi Museum, and possibly Te Papa Tongarewa.