Exhibition: 17 September 2025 – 7 March 2026
Central City Library
Experience a new Pacific heritage exhibition at Auckland’s Central City Library!
The phrase "Lupe I Vao Ese" is a poetic metaphor from Gagana Sāmoa, translating as "doves in different pastures". It expresses how
measina – the cultural treasures of Moana Oceania – travel across time and place, carrying the voices of ancestors into the present and beyond.
What you’ll see
The exhibition features rare and evocative items from across the Pacific, drawn from Auckland Libraries’
Heritage Collections and items on loan from Pasifika specialists. Discover printed material, artwork and soundscapes that celebrate the enduring presence of measina in Aotearoa, including:
- Etchings from Cook’s Pacific expeditions (18th–19th century)
- Pacific ephemera, rare books, newspapers, and albums
Music from the 20th and 21st centuries
Photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries
Digitised 1991 VHS recordings of the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival (now Polyfest)
- Measina from across the Pacific, loaned from Pasifika specialists
- Preview display in the Atrium and a related
Noken showcase on Level 1
Visit the exhibition
Come along to the Gallery to browse the collection at your own pace. No booking required.
- Monday to Friday, 10am – 6pm
- Saturday, 10am – 5pm
- Closed Sundays and public holidays
Parking and public transport
Central City Library has three Mobility parking spaces on Rutland Street right next to the library building.
Events and programmes
Tāmaki Untold: Measina at home with Edith Amituanai
Saturday 20 September, 2–3pm
Whare Wānanga, Level 2, Central City Library
Experience the photo-documentary that inspired the vision for the Lupe I Vao Ese exhibition, presented by artist Edith Amituanai. Her inspiring work explores everyday beauty and belonging in Pasifika family life.
LIVE at Play: Celebrating Heritage Festival
Explore measina in new contexts through outdoor visuals and hands-on workshops. Supported by the City Centre Targeted Rate.
Things to see
- Artboard display | Eastern Viaduct, Wynyard Quarter
Monday 4 August – Monday 29 September - Lightboxes | Te Komititanga and Darby Street
Wednesday 17 September – Sunday 5 October
Things to do
Create your own work inspired by Auckland Libraries’ Pasifika Heritage Collections.
All workshops take place at
Ellen Melville Centre.
- Weaving workshop – Thursday 25 September, 11am–1pm
- Zine making – Saturday 27 September, 2pm–4pm
- Diorama making – Friday 3 October, 11am–1pm
Music to journey with
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