Collective Obsessions: what can we learn from the story of the Moa?

The Collectors – an exhibition by Jacqui Wilkinson

The story of the Moa didn’t end with their extinction.

Their legacy continues in museums around the world; the result of the Victorian obsession with collecting. More than a display of wealth, these collections were symbols of power and influence. A way to showcase British scientific advancement and dominance. For decades, Moa skeletons shipped from New Zealand were the jewel in the crown for many European collectors, kickstarting a second gold rush for the explorers and immigrants who journeyed ‘down under’ in the 1800’s.

What does the story of the Moa bone traders and collectors tell us about our past? How can it help inform our future? Why do so few New Zealanders know anything about these stories? And why are they still relevant?