Redecorating Taranaki

Medals, trophies and awards in Puke Ariki’s collection tell tales of wartime bravery, sporting skill, and public recognition. They show us who we were and what values were important to us in the past.

But what is important to us now? What has changed?

New Plymouth jewellers Jennifer Laracy and Sam Kelly asked locals for their ideas. In 2019 they held a series of community workshops inviting people to tell us about and design a medal for someone they think deserves to be honoured. Taking inspiration from those stories and the objects in the museum’s storeroom, Jennifer and Sam have created ten new awards that represent what we value in Taranaki today.

The Diversity Award, studded with Swarovski Crystal, celebrates the art of welcome and the vibrancy others bring. The Taranaki Whānau Trophy is in recognition of our role models and the ancestors who have come before us. Other values represented by the new awards include creativity, friendship, and sustainability. Crafted using a range of jewellery-making techniques and materials, the new awards presented in Redecorating Taranaki say a big thanks to everyone who makes our region such a special place.