We are delighted and grateful that Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua have gifted a name for our new museum, Te Kura Marumaru, which was formally received by Timaru District Council last week, to sit alongside the existing name.

The official new name for our new venue is Te Kura Marumaru, South Canterbury Museum.

Arowhenua Ūpoko Tewera King and Arowhenua Marae Manager Anahera Home attended the Council meeting, where Tewera answered councillor’s questions and clarified the meaning of the name.

Ūpoko Tewera King explained the meaning as "... the sheltered treasures, which describes what the building is for, also a sheltered place for learning, which is also a good way to describe what a museum is for … It holds taonga [treasure]. It holds treasures from our early settler period, from our early Ngai Tahu whanui period …

"It's going to be a place that shelters treasures from all of our past, but it's also going to be a place that hopefully will trigger discussion on what was going on in the past when these taonga were being used by our early settlers, by my ancestors, and by all our people …”

Receiving this gift is a major milestone in the ongoing development of the museum as we look to a new future. The new name will be incorporated into branding and operational matters over the next few months.

Pictured: A concept drawing of Te Kura Marumaru, being constructed at the time this story was being written.

Published 4 May 2026