Arapata Hakiwai


Arapata Tamati Hakiwai is a New Zealand Māori museum curator. Of Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou and Ngāi Tahu descent, he is a principal investigator with Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. He is the current Kaihautū of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and was the acting Chief Executive before the appointment of Rick Ellis.

Career

Hakiwai has been a teacher at Wellington High School before starting work in the museum sector in 1989.
While at Te Papa he has been involved in the repatriation of a number of Maori kōiwi tangata from overseas institutions, and has also led a project involving the 'digital repatriation' of taonga.