Te Arikirangi Mamaku-Ironside

Born and raised in Te Teko, a small settlement in Aotearoa (New Zealand), Te Arikirangi grew up completely immersed in the language and traditions of his māori elders and community. Influenced by his family's love for Kapa Haka, or māori performing arts, his early career saw him spend his late teens touring North America for 3 years with the Kahurangi Māori Dance Theatre.

Upon returning to Aotearoa, he spent some time working in arts administration for Toi Māori Aotearoa - Māori Arts New Zealand, serving the country’s talented community of indigenous arts practitioners including traditional weavers, musicians, writers, carvers, and choreographers.

“In his fourteen-year period with Karanga Aotearoa, Te Arikirangi coordinated the return of over 700 Māori and Moriori ancestors from 55 institutions...”

From 2009 to 2023, Te Arikirangi worked for the Karanga Aotearoa Repatriation Programme (Karanga Aotearoa) facilitated by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Established in 2003, Karanga Aotearoa carries out extensive research and negotiations with cultural institutions in Australia, North America, the United Kingdom and Europe for the return of Māori and Moriori ancestral remains illicitly collected and traded during the 19th and 20th centuries.

In his fourteen-year period with Karanga Aotearoa, Te Arikirangi coordinated the return of over 700 Māori and Moriori ancestors from 55 institutions including; the Natural History Museum London (England), American Museum of Natural History (USA), Chárite Institute (Germany), Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (USA), and Musée du Quai Branly (France) to name a few.

In late-2022, he served as acting-Head of Repatriation during which he oversaw the return of ancestral remains from Austria’s Natural History Museum in Vienna.

Te Arikirangi is a highly organised project manager and an exceptional communicator. He has successfully produced events ranging from National Conferences to workshops and online seminars, and charity events. He approaches his duties with an unwavering commitment to fairness and a strong sense of compassion. Above all else, he is guided by the philosophy of helping people find peace, fulfilment and a state of harmony.

“He approaches his duties with unwavering commitment balanced with kindness. Above all else, he is guided by the philosophy of helping people find peace and fulfilment thus reaching a state of harmony.”