Cheng Lei the Charge d'Affairs of Chinese Embassy, Michael Houlihan the Chief Executive of Te Papa, Rhonda Paku the Acting Kaihautu of Te Papa, Celia Wade-Brown Wellington Mayor, Eric Livingstone National President of New Zealand China Friendship Society, John Mckinnon ex-New Zealand Ambassador to China, together with over 100 guests witnessed the moment.

This Maori feather cloak (kahu huruhuru) was gifted to Chairman Mao Zedong in 1957 by New Zealand pioneer film maker Ramai Te Miha Hayward on behalf of the fifth Maori King, Koroki. Prime Minister John Key attended the handover ceremony of the cloak at the National Museum of China in Beijing during his visit to China early this month.

The cloak will be on display at Te Papa from 13 June to 20 October 2013.