Tukutuku is a traditional woven art from the Māori, the indigenous peoples of New Zealand. It is used to decorate their “whare tupuna,” traditional assembly or meeting houses, where patterns are an integral part of the history and genealogy of each tribe. “Decorated tukutuku panels adorn many meeting houses throughout the country, conveying important relationships of the people and the world around us,” said Arapata Hakiwai, Te Papa’s Acting Chief Executive and Kaihautū. This art is unique to New Zealand and now conveys an important relationship from them to the world body. 

The woven panels were created by sixty weavers from around the country and the national collective of Māori weavers, or Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa, were commissioned to make them. The weavers work in pairs on either side of each panel stitching the materials together at the back of the frame to create the patterns. Native materials such as kieke (a woody climbing plant) and pingao (golden sedge grass) were used and woven into a ""lattice"" like frame. The patterns used have been developed and shared for many generations. Some of the tukutuku panels represent customary designs and others have been developed specifically for the new setting.

A New Zealand curator said New Zealanders will take pride in knowing that our cultural icons, our values, and our stories will become a part of the United Nations’ story.

The gift was donated during a celebration of cultures by the Māori peoples with song and processions on 12 February 2015. The Permanent Representative of New Zealand to the United Nations presented it to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon. 

The Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples was supported by New Zealand in 2010.