NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2021
MĀTAURANGA MĀORI
Revitalising Māori built heritage conservation mātauranga and Mātauranga Māori in ancestral landscapes are key Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga initiatives. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
Lead heritage agency key part of Mātauranga Māori programme
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is delighted to be part of the Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku programme as announced by Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Carmel Sepuloni, on 15 December.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is one of eight government and cultural agencies taking part in this programme. The other agencies are Creative New Zealand Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, Te Matatini, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, Te Puni Kōkiri and Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs. The programme, announced in Budget 2020, provides $20 million over two years to fund CONTINUED OVER >
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initiatives supporting iwi, hapū, whānau and hapori to safeguard at-risk mātauranga from the ongoing threat of Covid-19. It will be led by Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
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MĀTAURANGA MĀORI
Lead heritage agency key part of Mātauranga Māori programme
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CONTENTS
12/13 MANAWATŪ
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3 EDITORIAL
Heritage New Zealand Chief Executive Andrew Coleman
Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House impressing visitors
6/7 WELLINGTON
We will remember on Anzac Day
8/9 AUCKLAND
Stunning heritage canvas in Auckland
10/11 WEST COAST
TRIVIA TIME Take time out with 10 questions
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CHATHAM ISLANDS
Conservation support given for Tommy Solomon statue
4/5 CANTERBURY
Hoffman Kiln Trustees pleased with conservation progress
16/17 NORTHLAND Matter of faith for intrepid explorers
18/19 ARCHAEOLOGY
Arborists – don’t forget the archaeology
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SUPPORTING HERITAGE
Membership – the best way to help protect New Zealand’s history
Waiuta celebrates Tohu Whenua status
The country’s lead heritage agency has two key initiatives within the programme – revitalising Māori built heritage conservation mātauranga and Mātauranga Māori in ancestral landscapes. "Both programmes resonate strongly with the Māori Heritage Council’s document Tapuwae," says Director Kaiwhakahaere Tautiaki Taonga and Kaupapa Māori, Dean Whiting. "They are also underpinned by the organisation’s whakatauki which is 'Tairangahia a tua whakarere – Tātakihia ngā reanga o āmuri ake nei'. Translated, it means 'Honouring the past – Inspiring the future'. "We are delighted to have been allocated $2 million to focus on joint projects with iwi, hapū, marae hapori, tohunga, pūkenga and kaitiaki." The revitalising Māori built heritage conservation mātauranga programme will focus on vulnerable areas of mātauranga, including place-based hanga whare mātauranga and practice (traditional arts and whare building construction), taonga and mātauranga related to mahinga kai, māra kai and waka. The revitalising Mātauranga Māori in ancestral landscapes programme will focus on areas relating to wāhi tapu and wāhi tupuna. Through pūkenga-led wānanga, project participants will explore the use of publications, on-site interpretation, cultural mapping and hīkoi to revitalise ancestral landscape histories, pūrakau and pakiwaitara.
Editor: Jamie Douglas. Designer: Mui Leng Goh. Heritage Quarterly is printed with mineral oil-free, soy-based vegetable inks on Sumo paper. This paper is Forestry Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified, manufactured from pulp from responsible sources under the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. Please recycle.
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Members of Heritage New Zealand can visit its properties for free, visit www.heritage.org.nz 2
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Three fixed-term positions will help to deliver the initiatives – two project co-ordinators and one assistant to support both of them.
For more information on the Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku programme please visit www.heritage.org.nz or www.mch.govt. nz/regenerating-arts-culture-and-heritage/ matauranga-maori n
EDITORIAL
ANDREW COLEMAN
Some time ago, while travelling through Northland, I was asked why archaeology was important. At the time I looked across the landscape and asked the person what they saw in the distance. I was told about the rolling hills, the house, the gardens and the trees. I was then asked what I saw. I replied that I saw Māori heritage and cultural landscapes and that it was mostly under the ground – under the rolling hills, the colonial house and the adapted gardens, trees and vegetation. I also explained that it was for this reason that archaeology and its regulation through authorities played an important role in ensuring that Māori heritage and history was able to be understood and told into the future. The truth is that it is the archaeological authority process and programmes such as Mātauranga Māori that will ensure our cultural landscapes and full heritage will endure. It is a delight to have the Mātauranga Māori programme highlighted in this edition of Heritage Quarterly. In reviewing and resetting the strategy for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, our Board and Māori Heritage Council has challenged the organisation to ensure that there is a balance in our work with more emphasis on Māori heritage and history. Each of the stories in this edition allows us to ask questions about the history of Aotearoa New Zealand. The opening of Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House last December was indeed
The prominence and importance of Māori heritage The truth is that it is the archaeological authority process and programmes such as Mātauranga Māori that will ensure our cultural landscapes and full heritage will endure. It is a delight to have the Mātauranga Māori programme highlighted in this edition of Heritage Quarterly. a fantastic occasion and the interpretation that tells the stories of Kate Sheppard and the Suffrage Movement are certainly stunning. It is timely to ask: what preceded the current house being there, what are the stories of the Clyde Road area of Christchurch (or indeed the wider Ōtautahi area) for Māori, and what was the cultural landscape like? Another example of the breadth of future thinking, based on a full awareness of the past, is Waiuta. What a fantastic addition to the Tai Poutini West Coast Tohu Whenua programme. It is one that was significantly contributed to by a dedicated and committed Friends of Waiuta group. If you follow with interest the story of Waiuta you will read about the early 1900s and the formation of what was recalled as a ‘raw and new town’ that was established to support the mining ventures. This story in itself is impressive, but again the whenua at Waiuta has a longer history than the early 1900s and a likely very significant Māori history that Ngāti Waewae is looking to have told.
The Hoffman Kiln in Palmerston North, the site of the Ataturk Memorial in Wellington and the Chatham Islands all feature in this edition. The stories are about a point in time and the questions can now be asked on what preceded that time. One might ask why the emphasis change? Heritage and history is required to be in the New Zealand Education Curriculum, and knowing this full and comprehensive past allows a richer contribution to be made. Importantly for us at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, if we are asking then we can be quite influential in how this develops for all New Zealanders. We can fulfil our role as the advisors, guardians and kaitiaki of heritage. Waitangi Day was recently marked with our staffed properties being open to the public free of charge. It is timely to reflect on Māori and colonial heritage, not just on this day, but every day. We hope New Zealanders increasingly ask the question of what was at these places before the construct of a colonial building took place. It is time for a broader consideration of heritage. n
ANDREW COLEMAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE
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CANTERBURY
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Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House impressing visitors The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, opened Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House in Christchurch on Tuesday 15 December. This special celebration marked the completion of the visitor experience, telling the story of Kate Sheppard and other women who worked tirelessly to achieve women’s suffrage.
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The former home of suffragist Kate Sheppard was the centre of the campaign to secure the right for New Zealand women to vote. It was purchased by the Government in 2019, and is now cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. The house is now open to the public on weekends, and visitor feedback has been glowing. The entranceway and four front rooms have been transformed into a visitor experience, which conveys the story of Kate and her suffragist contemporaries, as well as the experiences of Māori women and the ongoing efforts by New Zealand women for equality.
“People are just thrilled with the mix of modern exhibition design and period elements,” says Property Lead for Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House, Helen Osborne. “We were so fortunate to be donated many items belonging to Kate, and appropriate Victorian furniture. But the exhibition design by StoryInc also includes many clever hidden surprises that people love.” The process for exhibition design included a reference group with representatives from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, the Universities of Canterbury and Otago, Canterbury Museum, Kate’s family descendants and members of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. “It’s given the exhibition a real depth to have such a breadth of expertise and research going into it,” says Helen.
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The property is child-friendly, with dress-up clothes and a fun trail of clues led by Kate’s parrot, Polly Plum. The shop is already proving popular, with books and camellia earrings in high demand. And, after taking time to explore the exhibition, there are plenty of spots to sit and take in the stunning garden. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga staff and associated contractors put in a huge amount of effort to get the exhibition and property ready, and are thrilled with the positive responses. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga manager heritage assets southern, Dr Christine Whybrew, says she and the team feel honoured to care for the house. “It’s so exciting for us to share the Kate Sheppard story with visitors from New Zealand and the rest of the world. Because New Zealand was the first country to give
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women the right to vote, this place is internationally significant in the wider story of universal suffrage.”
1. Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House in Christchurch.
At the opening event, the Prime Minister spoke movingly about how she hoped that the house would have an ongoing life as a place as a venue for thought and debate. Also, that the house will bring people closer to their history, and particularly inspire young women to feel that everything is possible. Currently, the back of the house is being renovated into function and meeting rooms that can be used by the community for this purpose.
3. Property Lead for Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House, Helen Osborne.
2. The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, speaks at the reopening of the house.
4. The Prime Minister looks at interpretation panels. 5. Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House is open to visitors. 6. Paying respect to Kate Sheppard. 7. A glimpse at the wonderful gardens and green space. (CREDIT: CHRIS HOOPMANN FOR HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – ALL PHOTOS)
Once the house is finished, it will be open on weekdays and used for school group tours and events. n
Writer: Rosemary Baird
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WELLINGTON
We will remember on Anzac Day New Zealanders will be hoping they can resume attendance at this year’s Anzac Day on 25 April, unlike last year when the country was in lockdown due to the pandemic. Planning for one of the country’s most important days has been led by the New Zealand Returned Services Association, wishing to restore the large numbers who want to personally pay respect to those who served and died for this country at our many memorial sites up and down New Zealand. One very special place of assembly for hundreds of people each year has been the Ataturk Memorial in the capital. The Wellington memorial was unveiled on 26 April 1990. It features the bust of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, commander of the Ottoman 19th Division who played a pivotal role in frustrating the efforts of Allied forces to seize the Dardanelles during World War I. His army helped to contain the initial landings at Anzac Cove before re-taking the crucial heights of Chunuk Bair. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk would later become the first president of modern Turkey. In 1934, he was granted the honorary surname of Ataturk, ‘Father of the Turks’. The Ataturk Memorial is situated on a ridge above Tarakena Bay on the south coast of Wellington. It looks out over Cook Strait, with the site chosen for its remarkable resemblance to the Gallipoli Peninsula landscape. It is accessible at all times with a short walk from the carpark to the memorial. The Ataturk Memorial came about as the result of an agreement between the Turkish, Australian and New Zealand Governments. In 1984, the Australian Government asked the
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Turkish Government if the cove on Gallipoli Peninsula could be renamed Anzac Cove in memory of the Australian and New Zealand troops who lost their lives there in 1915 during the Gallipoli campaign. The Turkish Government agreed to a name change from Ari Burnu and also built a large monument to all those who died in the campaign. In return, the Australian and New Zealand Governments agreed to build monuments in Canberra and Wellington to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The Wellington memorial was designed by Wellington and Nelson conservation architect, Ian Bowman. “The basis of the design was the Turkish crescent and star, and the crescent was extended vertically,” says Ian. “The white marble formed the crescent and star and the design for the podium extended the star form in white marble lines to the edge of the podium. The red marble was the red background in the flag. The wall behind and the bulk of the paving was designed to reflect
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lost their lives on this land they become our sons as well. Wreath laying services are held at the memorial on Anzac Day and in August each year by the Wellington Company of the Wellington and Hawke’s Bay Battalion Group to commemorate the Battle of Chunuk Bair. The Ataturk Memorial is maintained by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage while the Kemal Ataturk Reserve where the memorial is located and the surrounding Rangitatau Reserve are maintained by the Wellington City Council. In 2017, the Turkish Memorial was unveiled at Pukeahu National Memorial Park.
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the rocky shore. A capsule of soil from Gallipoli was buried under the star in the centre of the podium and the bust of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was provided by the Turkish Embassy.” The memorial was unveiled by the Turkish Minister of Agriculture. There were several hundred invited guests present, including community leaders and school representatives. In 1999, a paved forecourt and pathway, also designed by Ian Bowman, were added with funding from the Turkish Government. The
memorial features a message of reconcilation, widely attributed to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. It reads:
Those heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives, you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side in this country of ours. You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears, your sons are now lying in our bosoms and are in peace. After having
Health and safety conditions allowing, wreath laying and remembrance addresses will be given again at the Ataturk Memorial in Wellington on 25 April this year. n
Writer: David Watt (David attended the unveiling ceremony in 1990 as the then deputy Mayor of Wellington City)
1. The Ataturk Memorial in Wellington. 2. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s message of reconciliation and respect. 3. The view to Cook Strait from the memorial site. (CREDIT: DAVID WATT/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – ALL PHOTOS)
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AUCKLAND
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Stunning heritage canvas in Auckland The Britomart Precinct in downtown Auckland has undergone a series of enhancements in recent years, with its unique heritage-listed buildings central to the precinct’s identity.
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House is the cornerstone of Britomart’s satellite exhibition of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki’s Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art. It brings contemporary Māori art outside the walls of the gallery and into the streets of downtown waterfront Auckland.
“Britomart prides itself on the sensitive adaptation of its buildings for contemporary use, something we’ve worked on with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga for almost 15 years,” says Jeremy Hansen, Britomart Project Manager leading the project.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has been involved with providing heritage advice on the project.
In addition to adding value to the precinct through public art, there has been careful consideration for the heritage landscape.
“All four artworks have been well integrated into the Britomart heritage precinct, but only one, Shane Cotton’s mural on the Commerce Street side wall, is physically part of a listed heritage building (the Excelsior building),” says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Senior Conservation Architect, Robin Byron.
“When we were planning Shane Cotton’s Maunga mural, we knew Excelsior House had been cut in half to allow the widening of Commerce Street in the 1930s, but we still wanted to ensure we didn’t compromise the building’s remaining heritage values. We sought expert advice from Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga from the outset and it was a very satisfying collaboration, resulting in a new piece of public art we hope will be appreciated for decades to come.”
Originally a complex of industrial warehousing built to support the import and export harbour trade, these former merchant stores are now home to designer boutiques, eateries, bars and offices. Part of a landmark exhibition of contemporary Māori art, four significant public artworks have been installed at Britomart.
“Because the wall itself was not an original wall with historic and decorative features, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga could support its use as a canvas – especially as the artwork links meaningfully to the history and culture of the area, valuably contributing to the heritage environment and urban experience.”
A five-storey high mural by Shane Cotton (Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Hine, Te Uri Taniwha), titled Maunga, and painted on Excelsior
The working relationship between Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and the Britomart Group has been ongoing.
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Shane Cotton’s contribution is joined by the work of three other artists: Lonnie Hutchinson, Charlotte Graham and Master Carver, Lyonel Grant. The commissions were officially opened with a dawn karakia in December led by
Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is featuring a major new exhibition of contemporary Māori art. Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art is the largest exhibition in the art gallery’s history, featuring work by more than 100 artists including Ralph Hotere, Robyn Kahukiwa, Lisa Reihana, Michael Parekowhai, Reuben Paterson and Cliff Whiting. In addition to customary art forms such as carving, weaving and painting, Toi Tū Toi Ora features innovative moving image and digital media art showing that Māori culture is nuanced, vibrant and diverse.
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representatives of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga was represented by Robin Byron. All these works will be on display until late March. n
Writer: Antony Phillips
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The title of the exhibition speaks to the challenge and aspiration for Māori art to continue to stand tall (toi tū) and stay healthy (toi ora). Māori artists have long used their art practice to direct attention to issues of health and well-being both for people and for Papatūānuku (earth mother). Jim Schuster, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Pouarahi Traditional Arts, attended the dawn opening of the exhibition. It features work by his mother Emily Schuster, the renowned Te Arawa/Tūwharetoa weaver. Jim believes the exhibition celebrates the Māori world and honours the expert practitioners who created the works. “Mīharo rawa atu ngā mahi toi o ngā tohunga ringa rehe o te ao Māori. He whakaaturanga tēnei, hei whakanui i te ao Māori ki roto i te ao Toi. Tēnei ka mihi ake, ka tangi ake hoki ki ngā ringa rehe katoa, arā ko rātou kua whetūrangitia, ā rātou hoki o te kanohi ora.
1. The dawn karakia. (CREDIT: RUSS FLATT)
2. The mural by Shane Cotton on Excelsior House. (CREDIT: RUSS FLATT)
3. Mei, by Ayesha Green.
"The artworks of the skilled artists of the Māori world are truly amazing. This exhibition promotes the Māori world within the world of art. I salute and weep for our art experts who have gone to the heavens and humbly acknowledge those who are still with us today."
5. Auckland Art Gallery.
Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art is a free exhibition and on display at the Auckland Art Gallery, Corner Kitchener and Wellesley Street, until 9 May 2021. n
(CREDIT: AUCKLAND COUNCIL)
Writer: Tharron Bloomfield
(CREDIT: AUCKLAND ART GALLERY TOI O TĀMAKI)
4. Mahuika, by Lisa Reihana. (CREDIT: AUCKLAND ART GALLERY TOI O TĀMAKI)
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WEST COAST
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Waiuta celebrates Tohu Whenua status The longest inhabited early West Coast gold mining settlement, Waiuta, is now a Tohu Whenua. About 50 people gathered at the end of last year to celebrate the former town’s new status and recognise it as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s best heritage visitor experiences.
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“It was fantastic to see so many people with a shared passion for this significant site come together,” says Andrew Coleman, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Chief Executive and Chair of the Tohu Whenua Governance Group. “This was a celebration of the significance of Waiuta and an opportunity to pay tribute to the people who have looked after this special place for decades and continue to do so.” Waiuta grew out of the last great gold discovery on the West Coast – the Prohibition and Blackwater mines producing nearly 750,000 ounces of gold (worth $1.6 billion in today’s currency) between 1907 and 1951. It is more than just a mining story though. It is one of how people lived in remote settings in comparatively recent times. Several historic buildings remain to tell the stories of the people who once lived and worked there – a peak population of 600 in the 1930s. Miners from all over the world came
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to Waiuta with their families, and the isolated setting gave rise to a strong and vibrant community. The working and social lives of the bustling company town were captured in a remarkable collection of photographs by miner Jos Divis, some of which can be seen in the story-filled interpretation panels throughout the town. After the Blackwater Shaft collapsed in 1951, the mines were closed and the town with it. People started leaving within weeks in search of jobs elsewhere and most of the buildings were removed. Scrub quickly reclaimed the site. The abandoned town gained the attention of historians in the 1980s when it became clear there was still a strong cultural identity among past residents who visited the town and kept in touch with each other. The Forest Service instigated a series of oral histories alongside the Friends of Waiuta Society, which set out to preserve the history of the town. The Friends continue their work and
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last year launched a documentary about the town called Whispers of Gold. Waiuta is now managed by the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai and cared for in partnership with the Friends of Waiuta. How to get there Waiuta is located half-way between Reefton and Greymouth. It is signposted from SH7, 21km south of Reefton. Turn onto Waiuta Road, turn right onto Blackwater Road and follow it to the end. What to do and see Waiuta is best explored on foot, but there is plenty of scope for an e-bike adventure. The most impressive remains are those of the goldmine, especially of the Prohibition shaft, which is located on the hill above Waiuta. The shaft was 879m deep, the last 275m of which were below sea level! The 2.5 hour return track to Snowy Battery is also worth the effort. This is where gold was pounded out of quartz rock using the water-powered ‘battery’ of iron stampers, before being further processed in colossal cyanide tanks that still stand by the river. Several good tracks that follow the layout of the town’s former roads lead past an Olympic- sized swimming pool, a rugby field with posts still standing, Waiuta Lodge (faithfully modelled after the hospital that stood on this site and now operated as a bookable DOC hut), the restored barber shop, police lock-up and several cottages that include that of photographer Jos Divis.
The highlights of Waiuta can be seen in a day, but short stays in self-contained campervans are welcome for those who want to take their time (note that caravans should not attempt the drive from Blackwater to Waiuta due to the narrow, windy gravel road that has precipitous drop-offs and no passing bays). Waiuta is the fifth heritage site on the West Coast to be awarded Tohu Whenua status, joining the ranks of Brunner and Denniston Mines, Historic Reefton, and Hokitika Port, Commercial and Government Centre. Tohu Whenua are places that have shaped Aotearoa New Zealand. Located in stunning landscapes, and rich with stories, they offer some of our best heritage experiences. n www.tohuwhenua.nz
Writer: Claudia Babirat
1. The Tohu Whenua post was unveiled in front of 50 guests including members of the Friends of Waiuta, local MP Damien O’Connor, representatives of Ngāti Waewae, local government, Tohu Whenua partner agencies and the local community. 2. At the site of the Prohibition shaft. 3. The old police lock-up. 4. Looking towards Blackwater shaft. 5. The memorial to 65 miners who lost their lives in the Brunner Mine explosion. (CREDIT: CLAUDIA BABIRAT – ALL PHOTOS)
This year marks the 125th anniversary of New Zealand’s worst workplace disaster – the Brunner Mine explosion. Brunner was once the largest producer of coal in New Zealand but the dangers faced there were many. When a sound like artillery fire was heard throughout the then bustling town at 9.30am on 26 March 1896, with very little evidence on the surface, the onlookers knew the explosion had happened deep inside the mine. As word spread fellow miners came from Blackball, Greymouth and Westport to join the gruelling rescue operation. The last body was recovered the next day. Almost half of the Brunner workforce was lost and families were shattered. The funeral procession of 6,000 people stretched half a mile. A government inquiry followed and the mining company was cleared of any negligence. The disaster spurred changes in New Zealand society though, giving rise to a stronger union movement and improved safety legislation, Brunner’s legacy today. These days you can walk through the industrial ruins on both sides of the Grey River, which are joined by a classic suspension bridge. Allow at least one hour to explore the large range of mining remnants, beehive coke ovens, brick factory and tunnel entrances and the 65 step memorial, all set in a lush green setting 11km east of Greymouth on SH7. Brunner Mine is proudly cared for by the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai, and has been recognised as one of 25 Tohu Whenua, places that capture defining moments in Aotearoa New Zealand’s story. n
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Hoffman Kiln Trustees pleased with conservation progress When the Hoffman Kiln Trust took over ownership and management of the 116-year-old kiln site in Palmerston North some years ago from Higgins Group Properties, they had little idea how much work was required for its future conservation and preservation.
Trustee, David Chapple, a well-known retired Manawatū architect, looks back on that decision and still scratches his head knowing they had taken on a monumental challenge. “I have to say, though ... in all we have been through as a country in Covid times we have achieved a lot with our kiln plans and I am particularly pleased with the progress we are making through our voluntary work efforts.” Cliff Wilson, former Chief Financial Officer for the Higgins Group, is chair of the Trust. He has always had a strong passion for the kiln, and was instrumental in getting the new trust formed. Cliff and David, and other trustees, are making progress towards showcasing the significance of the Category 1 listed kiln, which also has a heritage order on it from the Government. The Hoffman Kiln is an imposing building of national heritage value that provides a rare insight into New Zealand’s brick-making history in Palmerston North. Built around 1904, the Hoffman Kiln is a unique example of a continuous kiln, a type common in industrial countries from the mid-19th century. At its peak in production, the Hoffman Kiln in Featherston Street could produce up to 9,000 bricks a day. The decline in the use of bricks for buildings following the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, the effects of the Depression years, and the diminishing amount of locally available clay eventually
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made the kiln uneconomic to run. It was fired for the last time in 1959. In 2014, the roof and superstructure of the kiln were destroyed in a storm and were replaced by the then owners of the kiln and surrounding land, Higgins Group Properties. The following year an agreement was reached to enable the land to be subdivided, with the land containing the kiln and former office block at the front of the property to be transferred to a trust. “We have pushed on doing what repairs we have been able to undertake to the buildings on-site, repairs on brick work, general maintenance around the site and trying to reduce vandalism, which has been a constant issue over many years,” says David. “Ground maintenance is a high priority, especially at this time of year. The council helps us to keep the grass down.” Protection of this important place is a constant issue. The late Jim Lundy, a highly respected historian in Palmerston North, spent a lot of time at the kiln trying to protect it against vandalism. “Dealing with vandalism took up a lot of Jim’s time, in fact all our time too, in protecting this community asset. Security cameras are being installed to assist us to deal with this problem.
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“Jim Lundy was the author of the book Nine Thousand Bricks a Day, the authoritative story on the history of the Hoffman Kiln. He was a friend to many and we miss him today as we undertake new phases of conservation and preservation work. “We are working on a former storage shed, converting it to an exhibition area with display materials of bricks manufactured and the history of the kiln operations. We have already made this material available at open days. Volunteers are giving of their time to finish the interior of the shed so we have something to be proud of. Jim would certainly have been proud of this, so visitors can follow the story of brick-making and the impact the kiln had in the Manawatū district. When we are finished, we will be calling this the Jim Lundy Building,” says David. When the land was subdivided, a Medical Centre was built adjacent to the kiln building.
This business brings a huge amount of daily traffic to the site. Between the former front office and the kiln a coffee cart operates five days a week. It has been there three years and provides a very good presence on this open industrial site. The owners have supported efforts to protect the kiln and have used their business to promote sales of merchandise on behalf of the Kiln Trust. “In addition to the Jim Lundy Building we are renovating the front office block, which will provide an entry to our site operations. We will be able to hold meetings in the building and have promotional material for visitors. And, from here, our priority is to install special interpretation panels made at the front of the kiln so people can learn about its history and achievements. We would like to try and achieve this by November when Palmerston North has its next Heritage Week.
“We are planning to approach the council, our regional heritage organisation, Historic Places Manawatū-Horowhenua and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga to help us with this task and, with their advice and support, ensure our kiln remains a heritage landmark in Manawatū,” says David. n
Writer: David Watt
1. The Hoffman Kiln, looking east to Featherston Street, Palmerston North. 2. David Chapple, Hoffman Kiln Trustee, and Cindy Lilburn, Chair Historic Places ManawatūHorowhenua, look at content going into the new exhibition space. (CREDIT: DAVID WATT/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – ALL PHOTOS)
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TRIVIA TIME
Trivia answers
Take time out with 10 questions
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St Paul’s Memorial Church at Pūtiki, Whanganui (pictured), shares an important history with other Māori churches and marae built under the vision of what influential and widely respected Māori leader to revitalise the arts of carving, kōwhaiwhai and weaving through the building of meeting houses, dining halls and churches from the 1920s? Two exceptionally rare writing slates from the Kerikeri Mission Station dating back to the 1830s are included on the UNESCO Memory of the World documentary heritage register. One slate features an early waiata whakatau and the other a signature of who? What is the name of the Historic Area geographically located at 52 degrees south, New Zealand’s southernmost point before the Ross Dependency?
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Once a leading coal mining town, this place sits high on the edge of a steep incline railway once described as the eighth wonder of the world. It is also a Tohu Whenua place. Where is it?
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While on Te Tai Poutini West Coast, which Tohu Whenua place (pictured) was also nicknamed Quartzopolis and the Town of Light?
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What was New Zealand’s first National Historic Landmark, formally announced in June 2019?
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The national Māori newspaper, Te Puke ki Hikurangi, was published from 1897 to 1913 from which marae recently listed as a wāhi tūpuna by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga?
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What was the name of the economic assistance programme launched in 1950 aimed at Southeast Asian countries and to which this hall of residence at Massey University in Palmerston North (pictured) takes its name?
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If you were in Parewanui, Bulls, in the Rangitīkei District, what Category 1 historic feature could you visit?
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What Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga cared for property has been, since 1886, the longest continual postal service in New Zealand?
1. Sir Apirana Ngata (1974-1950), Ngāti Porou leader, land reformer, politican and scholar. (CREDIT: MARK BRIMBLECOMBE/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
2. Rongo Hongi. Hariata (Rongo) Hongi signed the slate when she was aged 16. She was the daughter of Ngāpuhi chief Hongi Hika, and later married Hōne Heke. 3. Motu Ihupuku/Campbell Island. 4. Denniston Mine, Denniston. 5. Reefton. Historic Reefton was the booming commercial centre of quartz reef gold mining and the first place in the southern hemisphere to supply electric lighting. (CREDIT: WEST COAST TOURISM)
6. Te Pitowhenua Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga oversees the National Historic Landmarks Ngā Manawhenua o Aotearoa me ōna Kōrero Tūturu programme. 7. Pāpāwai Marae, 5km east of Greytown, in the Wairarapa. 8. The Colombo Plan. Colombo Hall was opened on the Palmerston North campus in 1964. (CREDIT: KAREN ASTWOOD/ HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
9. The Scott’s Ferry Barge, which serviced the district from 1850 to 1908 transporting horses, cattle, sheep, coaches, produce and people. 10. Ophir Post Office in Central Otago.
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CHATHAM ISLANDS
Conservation support given for Tommy Solomon statue The Board of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is providing funding support from the National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund to enable the preparation of a condition and remedial action report for the statue of Tame Horomona-Rehe (Tommy Solomon), at Manukau, on the Chatham Islands. The report will be prepared by Wellington and Nelson conservation architect, Ian Bowman. In 2009, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, formerly the New Zealand Historic Places Trust, listed the Tommy Solomon site as a wāhi tapu under the Historic Places Act 1993, as a place of national significance, and as a memorial to the memory of Tommy Solomon, recognised in New Zealand as supposedly the last full-blooded Moriori. He was born on Rēkohu (Chatham Islands) in 1884 and died in 1933. He was a socially and politically active member of the Chatham Islands community and an important figure in the recognition of Moriori culture and identity. The statue stands at Ōwenga – Manukau Point overlooking the Pacific Ocean. In 1984, a Memorial Trust Foundation was formed for the expressed purpose of erecting a statue of the late Tommy Solomon. Through three years of significant fundraising efforts of the Solomon family, the statue was commissioned and sculpted by Marinus van Kooten and then erected at Manukau.
On 26 December 1986, the Prime Minister the Rt. Hon David Lange unveiled the statue. Since that time the memorial has been one of the most visited places for tourists on the island and it remains an important focal point for the resurgence of Moriori culture and identity. The statue has now been standing in watch over the seas at Manukau for 34 years. When it was erected the grounds were planted with a row of a sheltering harapepe and hakapiri (Olearia), which now provide substantial shelter for the grounds. Trustee, Maui Solomon, says in the Memorial Trust Foundation Strategic Plan that visiting the statue site provides an opportunity for many to learn more about Moriori history and the importance of the Manukau Reserve to Moriori descendants – being the largest land block allocated to Moriori in the 1870 Native Land Court decision. “The Trust and the family of Tame HoromonaRehe (Tommy Solomon ) welcome the support of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga with funding assistance to enable us to get an update condition and remedial action report prepared to guide future repair and maintenance work on the statue,” says Maui.
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“We are pleased that Ian Bowman, who has considerable experience with masonry statues, is available to help us with this report as soon as possible. This will form an important part in our strategic plan and long term vision for the collective management of this place.”
Writer: David Watt
1. The Tommy Solomon Statue on the Chatham Islands. 2. The statue looks out to the Pacific Ocean (CREDIT: LAURA KELLAWAY/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – BOTH PHOTOS)
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NORTHLAND
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Matter of faith for intrepid explorers Gruelling journeys bushwhacking through near-impenetrable forests while living off meagre rations of berries and fern roots may not be everybody’s idea of living their best life. Yet for many missionaries, who were some of the first Pākehā to settle in Aotearoa New Zealand, marching off the map was all part of a very wide-ranging job description. Besides preaching Rongo Pai – the Good News – to Māori, part of their mission was to seek out new territory with a view to expanding their presence around the country.
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“This group of people were not averse to a bit of hardship,” says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Northland Manager, Bill Edwards. “Inspired by their deep convictions, the missionaries were willing to upend normal lives in England to spend six months travelling on a sailing ship to the other side of the world, and endure frontier conditions in a cultural landscape that would have been completely alien to them. A bit of privation was all part of the package.” Once Christian missions had been established in Northland at Rangihoua, Kerikeri, Te Waimate, Māngungu and Kororāreka Russell, it was only a matter of time before missionaries turned their attention to pastures new. “In fact, missionaries to New Zealand had long recognised the potential of the country before the Northland missions were even established,” says Bill. The Rev Samuel Marsden set a cracking pace for exploration. Days after preaching his famous
Christmas Day sermon at Rangihoua in 1814, Marsden accepted Hongi Hika’s invitation to visit his inland pā. Travelling by waka – and then walking overland – the party reached Okuratope Pā at Waimate North, making Marsden the first European to travel that far inland. Impressed, Marsden recorded seeing majestic kauri forests and – among other things – excellent spuds: “I have never seen finer potatoes under the best culture,” he waxed. During the trek, Marsden also visited Kororipo – the site where the Kerikeri Mission House and Stone Store would be built – pre-Treaty buildings that have survived for almost two centuries. “New South Wales Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, had instructed Marsden to explore as much of the coast and the interior of New Zealand as time would permit, so Marsden eagerly accepted Hongi’s invitation,” says Bill. “After seeing the potential of the land at Waimate North, Marsden then spent the next six weeks travelling south on the Active as far
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as the Firth of Thames, stopping in at different harbours on the way, meeting with rangatira, talking about the mission to New Zealand – and generally assessing the land for its resources and potential for settlement.” Marsden had a desire to explore the country and meet its people, and his journals record in vivid detail his long journeys to isolated places reached only through traversing rugged bush country – often places where no European had previously ventured. On his third visit to New Zealand in 1820, for example, he got as far as Tauranga then headed back north via the Kaipara. Displaying similar fortitude, missionaries James Hamlin and Rev Alfred Nesbit Brown left the relative comfort of Te Waimate Mission – cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga today and recognised as a Tohu Whenua – to explore the Waikato via the Kaipara and the Waitematā. Setting off on 26 February 1834, and accompanied by a party of 19 Māori guides and porters, their arduous journey was to take nearly five months. Brown, Hamlin and their team of explorers beat their way through miles of trackless country, rough paths and pig tracks, dense fern and muddy river-beds – finally catching their first glimpse of the Waikato River on 19 March. It had been three weeks since they'd left home. “It made good sense for the expedition to explore the Waikato River by boat – though waka were few and far between,” says Bill.
“They solved the problem by forming a temporary ‘dockyard’ of sorts and building 10 moki – rafts – bundled together from rushes.” Hamlin recorded in his journal that “no two [moki] were alike either in shape or size. About 10 o’clock had our mokis finished and everything ready for starting. Launched our mokis which were no less diversified in their sailing than they were in their shapes and sizes.” The flotilla of wildly eclectic-looking rafts was eventually met by a waka paddling upstream towards the Waipa River. A brother of Te Wherowhero was in the waka, along with a European traveller, who directed the expedition back up to Ngāruawāhia. It was here – the centre of trade routes from the Waikato River and the Manukau Harbour – that Captain John Kent had established a flax trading enterprise. “Following conversations with Kent, Brown, Hamlin and their Māori support crew continued exploring, eventually reaching a spot where they were able to see Mt Tongariro in the distance. They also reached Kāwhia and Raglan on the west coast,” says Bill. The efforts of the early missionaries paid off. By the end of 1835 missions had been established at Mangapouri, Matamata, Tauranga and Rotorua, as well as the early missions at Kerikeri, Te Waimate and Rangihoua. And those were just the Anglican
ones. The Wesleyans and Catholics were also active in establishing missions around the country. As well as being some of the earliest Pākehā settlements in New Zealand, two of the earliest missions – the Kerikeri Mission Station and Te Waimate Mission – also bear testimony to an unusual group of people who were willing to march off the map. Today both historic places are cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and are recognised as Tohu Whenua. They are also open to the public. We invite you to do some exploring yourself of these stories and others at our properties around the country.
Visit www.heritage.org.nz and www.tohuwhenua.nz for more details. Writer: John O’Hare
1. The Kerikeri Mission precinct. (CREDIT: GRANT SHEEHAN/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
2. The landing of the Rev Samuel Marsden at the Bay of Islands, 19 December 1814. Engraving, 1913. Artist unknown. (CREDIT: REFERENCE NUMBER: PUBL-0158-76 ALEXANDER TURNBULL LIBRARY)
3. The Stone Store and Kemp House. (CREDIT: GRANT SHEEHAN/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA)
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ARCHAEOLOGY
Arborists – don’t forget the archaeology “Often historic trees are located on or close to archaeological sites – which is why arborists need to know about the archaeological provisions of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act,” says Heritage New Zealand Archaeology Manager, Vanessa Tanner.
Arborists have to factor a lot of things into their work – from consents through to health and safety, and everything in between. It may feel that archaeology is just another thing to add to the list. “The good news is that Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga has offices around the country and a team of regional archaeologists and Māori Heritage Advisors who provide information and advice, and can guide people through the archaeological authority process,” says Vanessa. The Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act makes it illegal to modify or destroy the whole or part of an archaeological site without the prior authority of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Archaeological sites are defined as places associated with pre-1900 human activity where there may be evidence relating to
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the history of New Zealand – and are an irreplaceable part of our heritage. “It’s good for arborists to be ‘archaeologically aware’ when they’re thinking about work that they’re undertaking, as often it can impact areas below the ground. Because of the nature of archaeological sites, some of the work arborists undertake can potentially impact on sub-surface archaeological features,” she says. When trees are in and around archaeological sites they can become physically connected to archaeological remains. Tree roots can disturb sub-surface remains and bring them to the surface or create in-ground disturbance resulting in artefact deposits being caught up in the root plate. Tree roots will grow along looser soils – these soils may be archaeological features such as postholes of buildings or drains cut into a harder subsoil.
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For above-ground archaeological sites, trees can be both a hazard to the survival but also in some cases intrinsic to the structural integrity of the structure. There is often a close correlation between protection of archaeological sites and management of trees on sites, and arborists have played an important role in ensuring the long-term preservation of archaeological sites. One example of this is work completed at the Ringway Ridges Homestead Stable, a Category 1 listed building in Otautau, Southland, which dates to the 1890s. The site was overgrown by a macrocarpa that was heavily pruned and managed by an arborist to ensure the long-term protection of both the archaeological site and the tree. Any works that may disturb the ground, including tree removals, land clearance and stump grinding, can potentially impact
archaeological sites, and it is important to manage risk. The risk involved is the loss of information and destruction or modification of a site, but also the personal and reputational risk of damaging an archaeological site, including prosecution and substantial penalties. “That’s why – depending on the trees that are being worked on and the broader cultural values of the landscape in which they sit – the archaeological authority process needs to be factored into arborists’ planning,” says Vanessa. “If arborists suspect their work may impact archaeological features, contact Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga as early as possible. That way we can ensure people have good information about our processes, and we can help progress authority applications in a timely way if they are needed.”
For more information please visit: heritage.org.nz Writer: John O’Hare
1. The Ringway Ridges Stable after careful arboring, which saw the macrocarpa tree (that was infringing on the archaeological site) reduced in size. 2. A piece of ceramic embedded into the tree root of a macrocarpa. 3. The Ringway Ridges Stable before arboring work. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – ALL PHOTOS)
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SUPPORTING HERITAGE
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Membership – the best way to help protect New Zealand’s history If you are reading this, you are likely a Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga member. You are also likely to be enjoying the various benefits that membership brings – whether this is sitting back reading our award-winning magazine, or proactively visiting some of the amazing heritage sites that your membership allows you free access to.
And if you aren’t a member, what are you waiting for?! You can find out more and join us simply by scanning the QR code.
A less-known benefit of your membership is the additional voice that you bring for the heritage sector and the support that is often provided directly to help care for nationally significant historic places. You see, many of our members support us additionally with donations, as volunteers, by purchasing retail products and gifting memberships to others. Some even go on to leave significant gifts in their Will, ensuring that they leave a legacy of support for New Zealand’s unique heritage.
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It is the many donations that we receive during a specific appeal for help (and as ‘top-ups’ with membership payments), as well as the countless hours that volunteers put in to care for collection items, greet visitors and so on, that really makes a difference to the work that is undertaken by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. If you would like to know more about how you can directly help – with time or with money – to protect our past for future generations to appreciate, then contact us at membership@ heritage.org.nz or 0800 802 010. We’d love to hear from you.
Writer: Brendon Veale
1. There’s plenty to see at Te Whare Waiutuutu Kate Sheppard House. 2. Conservator Rose Evans at Māngungu Mission. (CREDIT: HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND POUHERE TAONGA – ALL PHOTOS)
Published by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, Heritage Quarterly keeps you up-to-date with heritage work from around New Zealand. For more information or to subscribe, write to PO Box 2629, Wellington 6140 or contact the editor, phone: 04 470 8066 or email: mediamarketing@heritage.org.nz. ISSN 2324-4267 (Print) ISSN 2324-4275 (Online).
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