September 28 - October 23, 2017 Huia

Huia were last sighted in the dense forested ranges of the North Island. The bird was larger than a tūī, uniformly black with a greenish gloss, except for a broad white band at the tip of the tail.

They were held with special regard, the tail feathers highly prized by Māori chiefs who wore them in the hair as a symbol of their rank. During the colonial period they were also collected by keen ornithologists, Buller the most renown. This hunting contributed to their demise.

The last authentic record of living huia was in 1907.

This exhibition focuses on Dibble's adoption of the huia as a personal motif, related to the location of the family home and studio.