'Stripping of Mana': Taonga Seizure at New Zealand Border Sparks Calls for Systemic Reform

Māori researcher Tanith Wirihana Te Waitohioterangi calls for systemic change after biosecurity officers forced him to forfeit traditional shark tooth earrings.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 10, 2026, 4:43 AM EDT

Source: RNZ Pacific

An Incident of 'Shame and Embarrassment'

Returning from Germany, where he had been working with the Museum of Five Continents on repatriating Māori taonga, Wirihana Te Waitohioterangi was stopped by biosecurity officers in Auckland. Despite declaring the earrings, he was told the items would be seized and sent to the Department of Conservation (DOC) for assessment. Exhausted by over 30 hours of travel and fearing potential arrest if he refused, he signed a form to forfeit the taonga. The earrings—crafted by tohunga whakairo Tiopira Rauna Jr—carry deep whakapapa (genealogy) and cultural significance to his iwi, Rongowhakaata and Ngāi Tāmanuhiri.

The Conflict of CITES and Indigenous Exemptions

Biosecurity New Zealand confirmed that the officer correctly identified the mako shark teeth as restricted items under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Typically, such items are referred to DOC for enforcement. However, an exemption exists for taonga that originate from New Zealand and are carried by a New Zealand resident. In this instance, a chief quarantine officer intervened approximately 10 minutes after the initial seizure, applying the exemption and returning the rei mako.

Systemic Failure vs. Individual Error

While the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has since apologized, Wirihana Te Waitohioterangi argues the issue lies within a flawed system rather than individual staff conduct. He noted the irony of being permitted to bring in European luxury goods like wine and chocolate without scrutiny, while items of his own heritage were subjected to a forfeiture process.