Heritage Quarterly, Ngahuru Autumn 2022 by heritagenz

WELLINGTON

NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

A job well done – 804 sash windows restored A two-year project to restore the 804 sash windows in one of the world's largest wooden buildings has been wrapped up. WORDS: Anna Knox

n October last year, joiner extraordinaire and legendary tour guide, Mike Deavin, shut the latch on the final window at Wellington's Old Government Buildings, which is cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. The moment drew significant media attention, with Mike's ‘moment’ captured in many places across the country, including TV3 news and the Sunday Star Times.

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For Mike, it was a satisfying end to a project that saw him restore every sash window in the historic building, which was once the administration centre of the New Zealand government. “Mike knows a thing or two about restoring windows – after working on 804 of them at Old Government Buildings, he should do too,” said OGB Property Lead, Caroline Ritson. “It's

the culmination of two years of painstaking attention to detail and hard work.” Mike's knowledge of the materials and the processes involved is extraordinary, down to the manufacturer of the pulleys and the original cast iron weights that are the core to each window's functioning. “Archibald Kendrick have been operating since 1791,” says Mike. Most of the Heritage Quarterly

weights are still original, as are many of the pulleys, but the cords have been replaced over the years. Besides being a proven authority on all things relating to sash windows, Mike is a fount of knowledge and expertise on almost every detail of the iconic heritage site; from the edibles in the native gardens surrounding the building, to the ghosts purported to walk the hallways. “As well as the window restoration project – no small task in itself – Mike winds the tower clock, retains a mental archive of the heritage graffiti in the building's attics, has designed a hand-crafted donations box, and pioneered a ‘virtual tour’ of the building,” says Caroline. “In his highly informative and entertaining tours, he speaks about the building like an old and familiar friend. Mike has also taken the opportunity throughout the project to pass his expertise onto others, running workshops and documenting his restoration process – which we are very grateful for.” On finishing the project, Mike said he felt sad. “It's not been work, it's been fun,” was his comment. But he says he will be onto the next project soon enough. The last time the windows were restored was 1996. Mike doesn't think he'll be around to see the next round of repairs, but – as is the tradition of tradespeople – his name is inscribed on sash pocket covers around the building, for posterity and for the next person who works on the windows to discover. n

This issue 1

WELLINGTON A job well done – 804 sash windows restored

EDITORIAL Heritage requires constant care

NORTHLAND Clendon House farewells Lindsay Charman

AUCKLAND Heritage hero recognised

HAWKE'S BAY Te Kohatu o Rīpeka listed as a wāhi tapu

FEATURE INTERVIEW UNESCO 2022 Ambassador Sophia Newton

CANTERBURY Track upgrade at Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill

ARCHAEOLOGY Exciting events lined up for Archaeology Week 2022

heritagenewzealand heritage_nz @heritagenz

ARCHAEOLOGY Protecting Māori archaeology on the Kaikōura coast

Editor: Anna Knox Designer: Jeremiah Boniface

WELLINGTON More engagement needed to conserve our historic cemeteries

THAMES 3D rendering brings rocks to life at Thames TOHU WHENUA Behind the Walls: 150 years of Larnach Castle NORTHLAND Printer's link – historic prayer book hits the right notes

Published by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, Heritage Quarterly keeps you up-to-date with heritage news from around New Zealand.

All images credit Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga unless otherwise stated. For more information or to subscribe, write to PO Box 2629, Wellington 6140 or contact the editor, phone: 04 470 8066 or email: aknox@heritage.org.nz. ISSN 2324-4267 (Print) ISSN 2324-4275 (Online). Members of Heritage New Zealand can visit its properties for free, visit www.heritage.org.nz.

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.

EDITORIAL EDITORIAL

Heritage requires constant care

ecently I wrote a letter to a couple who I know to be positive heritage developers. I offered that each day I receive media updates referencing heritage, history and our organisation and that more often than not these highlight heritage dilemmas like disregard, demolition or destruction. It was pleasing to acknowledge the couple's passion for adaptive re-use of heritage buildings along with their dedication and perseverance to heritage. It reminded me that heritage does indeed require constant care and that, as the couple found, this results in significant and positive heritage outcomes. This edition of Heritage Quarterly provides many other examples of constant care for heritage and the benefits that follow from that. One aspect – but by no means the only one – of caring for heritage is the repair and maintenance of historic properties. The dedicated and detailed restoration work done by Mike Deavin at Old Government Buildings over the last two years is an excellent example of this, and the property is the better because of it. It is also pleasing that this care is acknowledged by Victoria University of Wellington, in particular the Law Faculty

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who are the occupants of this heritage property. Having recently marked its 150th anniversary, Larnach Castle also deserves recognition in this edition. The initial building and careful construction by William Larnach is rightly acknowledged, and the careful work done to restore the castle. Mike Deavin and William Larnach remind us that over the years it is people who care for heritage and that their care manifests through these places and properties. Lindsay Charman is the epitome of a caring and committed heritage person. His years of dedication to Clendon House are well evidenced. We congratulate and acknowledge the many years that Lindsay has cared for Clendon House. The passion for heritage of Bridget Graham, Sophia Newton and Vanessa Cocal-Smith is also impressive. Bridget has cared for the heritage interests of the Onehunga community for many years. Sophia has commenced a career for caring in heritage, in an outstanding way, with her appointment as a UNESCO Young Ambassador for Aotearoa for 2022. Vanessa is utilising technology to ensure that

heritage can be ‘seen’ and is accessible to people around the world. Heritage is indebted to the passion of people. People work well in groups and the collective contribution to heritage caring is well told in the story of Kura Tāwhiti (Castle Hill), led for several years by Nigel Harris and acknowledged by Ngāi Tahu kaumātua. Stories themselves are also a positive way of caring for heritage. Heritage Quarterly again allows a platform for stories of heritage care and the people who make it happen to be shared. n

Andrew Coleman Chief Executive Heritage Quarterly

Heritage Quarterly

NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

Lindsay Charman, standing together with the pou representing Jane and James Clendon, at Clendon House.

NORTHLAND

Clendon House farewells Lindsay Charman Lindsay Charman has recently retired from 25 years working as the Senior Visitor Host at Clendon House in Rawene, Northland. Rosemary Baird talks to him about his time at this special property. WORDS: Rosemary Baird When did you first find out about Clendon House and how did you get a job there? I have ancestral connections to Hokianga but had quite a profound experience when I discovered Rawene. I arrived on a very quiet morning; it was high tide, absolutely glassy, fish plopping all over the harbour; a kotuku or white heron came gliding down the harbour and landed in the oak tree above my head. I was outside Clendon House, and I thought “Ah, here's a sign” – He kōtuku rerenga tahi! Some months later my partner at the time applied for the curator's position at Clendon House, so my first year there was as a volunteer doing the lawns and gardens. Then I took up the curatorship. What was the property like when you started? A bit weary. The house had no sprinklers; there were leaks in the roof; the building needed a coat of paint; the backyard had a suite of noxious weeds, lantana, tobacco bush, honeysuckle etc. It needed some TLC definitely. Initially I just did the basic maintenance, getting the place looking tidy. Then I immersed myself in the readings. The first historian of the house was a scholar called Ruth Ross. She left an impeccable legacy. She did some comprehensive work on what is called the Clendon Papers and spent a lot of time at the house researching Rawene. She essentially established the collection and provided the primary narrative. What did your reading and research reveal about Clendon House? Ruth Ross regarded Clendon House as “an Aladdin's Cave of New Zealand history” and it really is a special place. It has connection to every other HNZPT property in Northland including Kerikeri Mission, the ‘Clendon Cottage’ at Pompallier Mission and Clendon's burial site at Māngungu. I regard James Clendon as one of the more neglected characters in NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

what was a critical time in Aotearoa New Zealand's history.

How do visitors respond to Jane's story?

He arrived in New Zealand in 1828, and as a trader became one of the go-to guys in the Bay of Islands. It didn't matter if you were Māori, missionary, military or whatever, Clendon was the fellow you talked to. He was an entrepreneur and a pragmatic trader, but they were complex social times and Clendon had a lot of debts. Nevertheless, James Reddy Clendon was a signatory to He Whakaputanga – The Declaration of Independence, and a witness to Pomare's signature on Te Tiriti o Waitangi. He was a contemporary of the leading Māori chiefs of the time and worked closely with Governors William Hobson, Robert FitzRoy and George Grey.

This is the story of a young mother taking charge of her life in a crisis. And let's be frank, that resonates with most people. I've found that it can be a very emotional story. Jane Clendon is part of the first generation of truly bicultural New Zealanders. Her mother was Māori, her father was a wild Irish timber getter. Jane grew up in a largely Māori world with a comprehensive missionary education; I see her as an intelligent woman of great presence and mana. Visitors often comment about how peaceful the house seems to be. I think it's Jane.

I know you've also championed the history of James' wife, Jane Takotowi Clendon. Can you tell me more about her? She was a remarkable woman. In my time here, with help from Clendon and Cochrane descendants, I've been able to bring some of the story of Jane to light. She was 34 years of age when her 72-year-old husband died. His passing left her with eight children under 16, a house insured for a few hundred pounds, and enormous debts.

Do you have any personal reflections about what your time here has meant to you? Oh, I loved it. The response you get from visitors is very positive. I've had so many handshakes, a fair few hugs, and many hongi too. When people leave Clendon House, they leave with a sense of curiosity. “Wow that was really interesting. What else should I know? Where else can I go to find out more about early New Zealand history?” For a storyteller, it's a gift. And, I love the Hokianga. I have old Māori bones here. I met my wife at Clendon House; we got married on the front veranda. Inevitably, nearly everyone who stands on that front veranda says, “Wow what a beautiful place.” And I still feel the same.

Yet Jane endured. Seven weeks after her husband's death, she left her 16-year-old son at home with the seven other children, the youngest only 18 months, and made her way to Auckland to deal with creditors. When she returned to Rawene, Jane went into business as a trader with her son to try and clear her husband's debts. She also wrote very clever letters to the creditors, to keep the wolves at bay, as it were.

Clendon family descendants have been generous. In my time here they have donated family artefacts such as a silver pocket watch from 1815, inscribed with James R Clendon's name, and a silk shawl of Jane Clendon's, along with family photographs and letters.

In the long run, it worked. Jane had her mana, her missionary education and a great love for her family. She lived in the house until her death in 1919 at the age of 81.

I feel like for the last 25 years I've been privileged to look after Jane and James Clendon's house and the Clendons in turn have looked after me. n Heritage Quarterly

AUCKLAND

Heritage hero recognised A keen supporter of the Category 1 listed Onehunga Community House, Bridget Graham QSM, has been awarded a Kiwibank Local Hero Medal for 2022. WORDS: Antony Phillips

n advocate for her community of Onehunga for many years, involved with numerous local committees and a former elected member on the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board, Bridget is the current Chair of the Friends of Onehunga Community House. Today a thriving community asset, the former Onehunga Primary School was listed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga as a Category 1 historic place in 2018. When Bridget got involved in the early 1990s the story was very different. “Nothing had been done [at the old school] for over 25 years, the place was in quite a state!” says Bridget. “The committee had fallen over, the buildings were falling into disrepair so something had to be done and so the Friends of Onehunga Community House was formed in 1992.” Setting about the restoration work, Bridget and fellow committee members engaged the Ministry of Education Property Officer, Colin Tunnicliffe, who advised they needed a heritage assessment. This started the gradual, phased-programme of conservation restoration work. Guided by our Senior Conservation Architect, Robin Byron, and heritage consultants Matthews and Matthews Architects, the project was far from easy for Bridget and her committee. “It was a tremendous amount of hard work and fundraising and a lot of convincing and forcing people to do things,” recalls Bridget. If there is any advice that she has to share for any other group or individual embarking on a heritage project? “It's a step-by-step process – count every step a victory!” Some of the highlights of the project include the removal of the fibrolite additions and the restoration of the bell tower which had been removed during WW2. “The bell was returned from the current Onehunga Primary School, next door, and the entire school watched on as the tower was craned onto the roof and we were able to rehang the bell in the restored tower,” Bridget explains. In a lovely gesture marking the continuity between the generations, the oldest living ex-pupil of the school and the youngest current pupil at that time rang the bell together in its restored home. Onehunga Community House boasts 39 regular groups and programmes servicing well over 400 members of the community. The former school is also used by locals for private events and functions and community gatherings. Bridget's advocacy is inspiring and her dedication to community was recognised in the 2009 New Year Honours when she was awarded with the Queen's Service Medal (QSM). She is quick to eschew any glory and acknowledges the help of others. “I have to emphasise the hard work of coordinator, Tony Broad, who was also very involved with the heritage listing – we are very pleased and very proud that we achieved the heritage listing.” n

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HAWKE'S BAY Preserving a site of significance – from left Annemarie Gillies, HNZPT; Xavier Forde, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, formerly with HNZPT, Kosha-Joy Kamau and Pua Taumata on a site visit to Te Kohatu o Rīpeka at Mahia.

Te Kohatu o Rīpeka listed as a wāhi tapu A recently listed wāhi tapu site along the banks of a stream is rich with cultural heritage and significance for several communities. WORDS: David Watt, Annemarie Gillies and Niki Partsch

n the Northern Hawke's Bay, the Kopuawhara stream runs southwards towards the Mahia Peninsula. Poised elegantly at the rim of a deep clear pool of water along its banks is a large white-grey rock of significant cultural heritage.

Te Kohatu o Rīpeka is a marker for an area which has deep spiritual connection for local Māori. A proposal which sought protection for this site was put forward by Kura Hapi-Smith in December 2020 and endorsed by the trustees/kaumātua of the Ngai Te Rakato Marae committee. In July 2021, our Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board recognised the heritage significance of the place and confirmed it as wāhi tapu. It's the second listing on the Rārangi Kōrero/New Zealand Heritage List for the area. The first lies just a little further downstream at the site of the Kopuawhara Railway Viaduct. It was here in 1938 that tragedy struck when a deluge of rain sent a wall of water into the public works camp causing the loss of 21 lives. Pua Taumata says he is elated that Te Kohatu o Rīpeka has been listed as a wāhi tapu area and explains that it will always be available for recreational swimming NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

IMAGES: Liz Smith, Wairoa Star

and for ceremonial purposes like baptism. He acknowledged the current landowner, Ray Hine, for his support. “Te Kohatu o Rīpeka has healing powers,” says Pua. “It was a place where young women who wore moko kauae distinguished themselves as future leaders. It was a place where wahine Māori graduated from the wānanga of Rakauwhakatangitangi which is the maunga above Te Kohatu o Rīpeka.” Dr Annemarie Gillies, our Pou Rārangi Kōrero/Maōri Heritage Listing Advisor, completed the work for this listing. She describes Te Kohatu o Rīpeka as an area sacred to Māori in the traditional and spiritual sense. “While blood was not shed as in warfare, the blood from high-ranking women is tapu. The women could sit on the Kohatu (rock) and look at their moko kauae in the clear mirror-like water of the pool below. They bathed their faces there to cool and soothe inflammation.” The practices at this place are thought to have taken place over centuries by tīpuna of Rongomaiwahine iwi. “Working with whānau and hapū to support their kōrero, to recognise

and acknowledge their generational connections to places and people that are significant to the heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand, is a dream job,” says Annemarie. In her listing report Annemarie explains there have been whānau and hapū members who have utilised the pool around Te Kohatu o Rīpeka for healings and blessings. Different church denominations use the pool for a range of ceremonial and spiritual purposes. The pool is also used as a swimming hole for local hapū. Nearby schools and those from as far away as Tairawhiti and Wairoa bring the children here to swim. Given the contemporary resurgence of moko kauae, it is planned that current and future generations will utilise this place to have moko kauae and tāmoko – a place for women and for men. Pua says that the river is their life force. “It has given us food, water to drink and to bathe. It protects our fish; it is our spiritual awa and our shrine. It is our safe place where we have had fun growing up.” An official commemoration of this site is being planned. n

Heritage Quarterly

FEATURE INTERVIEW

UNESCO 2022 Ambassador Sophia Newton With her deep commitment to heritage, we are so pleased that this UNESCO Young Ambassador for 2022 is part of our team, working to support mātauranga Māori throughout Aotearoa New Zealand Sophia is a history graduate and is currently studying for her Masters at Victoria University of Wellington. WORDS: Anna Knox What does your role with HNZPT involve? I am the Programme Coordinator for our Mātauranga Māori programme. Our programme is part of the Government's Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kotuku Initiative, and is intended to support iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori Māori to protect mātauranga Māori from the ongoing threat of Covid-19. Our team have been working hard to develop and implement wānanga, internships and grants that support the transmission of vulnerable mātauranga in our communities. How did you come to work here? I've always had an interest in history so after school I moved to Wellington to complete a BA in History at Victoria University. After finishing my undergrad, I applied for the administrator role at our Central Regional Office here in Pōneke. This role introduced me to the broad scope of the work that Pouhere Taonga does and allowed me to meet and interact with our passionate staff, members and interested public. During this role I began studying towards a Masters in Museum and Heritage Studies at Victoria. Through this degree, I began a placement with our policy team to complete a report on the work of Architect Chris Cochran and the Buildings Classification Committee. Then I was fortunate enough to be offered a role in the Mātauranga Māori team, so I made the big move across the carpark to Antrim House! Why is the work you do important to you? Our programme has been able to reach some of our most isolated communities and given them an opportunity to decide for themselves what aspects of their mātauranga are at risk and in need of support. My favourite part of our programme is that it gives the agency over to the hāpori, enabling them to engage with their community in whichever way they see fit. What does heritage mean to you? Heritage is the thread that ties us together. I became interested in history initially because I saw it as a logical subject – an event occurred, and we study the causes and consequences of that event. Since working here, my opinion on this matter has

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changed. After engaging with communities up and down the motu, I've come to realise that the intangible aspects of our past are what people cherish most. It their connection to their loved ones, their past and whakapapa but it also impacts their identity and wellbeing. The built environment and ancestral landscapes that our organisation cares for are markers of those connections, hence why the work we do is so important. Do you have a favourite heritage place? Kemp House and the Stone Store at Kerikeri Basin! I visited this property for the first time in my previous role with HNZPT and fell in love with the peaceful landscape of the inlet. On a tour of Kemp House, I discovered that an ancestor of mine, Guide Sophia Hinerangi of the Pink and White Terraces, was raised by Charlotte Kemp at Kerikeri Basin. Kellee and her amazing team pointed me in the right direction to learn more about Sophia as well as my whakapapa to the north. Can you tell me a bit more about your role as a UNESCO Youth Leader? The New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO represents our country to UNESCO and takes relevant collective resources, networks, programmes, and connections and applies them in a way that benefits Aotearoa New Zealand. UNESCO Aotearoa Youth Leaders serve as advisors, negotiating inclusive ways for young people to be engaged and empowered in the priority and programme areas for the National Commission. I'll be working in this role for two years. I firmly believe that the kaupapa of my work and Masters research aligns with the values and priorities of the National Commission and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to explore this further in my role. What does the future of heritage look like in Aotearoa do you think? We've been lucky enough to work alongside a lot of young people and children in our programme, usually brought to the wānanga by their parents. Seeing our rangatahi get involved, learn about their whakapapa and listen to the stories told by kaumātua has made the programme what is it. I think the future of our heritage is looking bright! n

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Heritage Quarterly

CANTERBURY

Nigel with a group of rangatahi at Kura Tāwhiti.

Track upgrade at Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill

For Nigel Harris, our Pouarahi Southern/Te Tai Tonga, the collaborative effort to upgrade aspects of Kura Tāwhiti (Castle Hill) is a welcome development after years of connection to the site. WORDS: Rosemary Baird

ura Tāwhiti has a rich history. It was claimed by Ngāi Tahu ancestor, Tane Tiki, for his daughter Hine Mihi, as the region held kākāpo feathers for her cloak. For mana whenua, the region was a mahinga kai, a campsite as part of their network of trails, and a significant rock art site. In the late 1800s, European farm workers also used the sheltering rocks as a campsite. Fans of the Narnia and Lord of the Rings movies may also recognise the surrounding valleys as filming locations. Nigel's ties to the site go back through his whakapapa, and he recalls visiting as a youngster with Rick Tau and other Ngāi Tahu kaumātua. “It is a really significant area, and it links to many other areas in the region.” In 2018-2019, Nigel was the compliance, amenities and interpretation ranger for the wider Arthur's Pass area, guiding tours at Kura Tāwhiti and other significant ridgeline walks in and around the Craigieburn valleys.

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Nigel led guided walks for many diverse tourist and community groups. “I'd share information about the geology, biodiversity and heritage, as well as the mana whenua Ngāi Tūāhuriri history. It was awesome being able to talk to my ancestry, having that connection, and linking to other DoC experts from biodiversity and heritage.” The new developments at the site aim to protect it from the growing numbers of visitors. “It was getting a crazy amount of visitors annually, heading into the many tens of thousands,” says Nigel. “Part of my compliance role was removing dogs, drones and rubbish and monitoring graffiti. Some people are just disrespectful and don't follow the simple, well-signposted rules.” Another problem was ‘desire lining’ where people leave the path and make their own messy tracks. The new track upgrade and landscaping is a subtle way to contain the foot traffic and slow the pressure on the wider site. The new interpretation will share the

cultural narrative of mana whenua, geology, heritage stories and the biodiversity of the site. Ngāi Tahu artists have designed the entranceway and pou which will be unique. Recreational rock-climbing sites and routes are also under more sustainable redesign. The project has been three years in the making. “It's a great collaborative effort with DoC, Pouhere Taonga and mana whenua,” says Nigel. “An important step in further protecting this significant area which will have an official opening in early 2022.” n NGĀ KUPU Kaumātua respected tribal elder Mahinga kai food gathering area and management systems Mana whenua customary authority exercised by an iwi or hapū over their ancestral land

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ARCHAEOLOGY

Exciting events lined up for Archaeology Week 2022 New Zealand Archaeology Week will be held from 23 April to 1 May this year. Senior Outreach Advisor, David Watt, explores the offerings. WORDS: David Watt

rchaeological sites are an irreplaceable part of our heritage. What we discover from archaeological sites helps us to better understand and learn from our past for our future actions.

The New Zealand Archaeological Association (NZAA) is the main organiser for Archaeology Week. Planning started late last year in discussions with our staff and external consultants on some themes and how to gain good community support for regional activities. Each year we look for new opportunities to engage with all ages in our communities, to give people a chance to try their own hand at being an archaeologist and to learn the outcomes. The events planned in support of New Zealand Archaeology Week provide a perfect platform for staff to work with external organisations and consultant archaeologists to promote and explain the importance of protecting our archaeological heritage. These events include: new episodes for the Aotearoa Unearthed podcast series developed by Dr Rosemary Baird; engagement with young people being an ‘archaeologist for the day’; archaeology walks and talks in Wellington and in the

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Bay of Plenty; and an archaeology event at Riverhead School in Auckland. In Northland staff are planning a number of events involving children and archaeology, including being an ‘archaeologist for the day’ at the Kerikeri Mission Station and a hands-on experience using a real archaeological stone fish trap near Kerikeri. The NZAA's membership spans professionals, amateurs, students, businesses and various other institutions interested in New Zealand's archaeology and heritage. Its main objective is to promote and foster archaeological and historical research. The organisation also lobbies government and local authorities for the recognition and protection of New Zealand's cultural heritage through engagement and changes to district plans. Details of events for this year's Archaeology Week will be posted on the NZAA website (nzarchaeology.org.nz), the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga website (heritage.org.nz) under ‘News and Events’ and Facebook (facebook.com/Heritage NewZealand). n Taipa Area School students working a real archaeological stone fish trap near Kerikeri. HNZPT Northland Area Manager Bill Edwards in the white shirt.

Heritage Quarterly

ARCHAEOLOGY Darran sharing some kōrero about the repatriation of all tāonga tuturu during a special ceremony at Takahanga Marae.

Protecting Māori archaeology on the Kaikōura coast Lead cultural monitor, Darran Kerei-Keepa, and archaeology team director, Jeremy HabberfieldShort, reflect on the challenges and innovations from their time on the NCTIR Kaikōura rail and road project. WORDS: Rosemary Baird

IMAGES: Waka Kotahi and DrJeremy Habberfield-Short

he 7.8 magnitude November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake twisted, cracked and eroded the rail and roading networks along the east coast of the South Island. Repairs were essential, but in this area rich with sites connected to 800 years of Māori and European occupation, care had to be taken. As recently as 2005, road and rail works have damaged Māori archaeological sites and the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery alliance (NCTIR) needed to proceed in

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a genuine partnership with local iwi and archaeologists. Darran Kerei-Keepa has been a cultural monitor in Kaikōura for over 20 years. Before workling with the NCTIR he knew of urupa, cave burials and wāhi tapu along the coast. One such site was a urupa in Waipapa underneath the road and rail tracks. After discussion with whānau and cultural monitors, it was decided to uplift the kōiwi. “It was a big decision for us but since the

1930s we've had cars and trains driving over the urupa so we thought we'd move it into a much safer area,” says Darran. A complication was that the road needed to reopen over the summer holiday period. “We had just exposed the surface of the burial ground, and then we had to cover it up again,” says Jeremy. “The engineers came up with a way to fill the open ground with geogrid and crush dust to protect the site from the traffic vibrations.” With summer over, the NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

burials were reinterred, along with their grave goods, on a neighbouring piece of land, which was redesignated as the urupa. Cultural and spiritual safety were vital during the urupa project, Darran explains. “The people we were lifting up lived in a time of tapu; we needed to recognise that and keep ourselves safe.” Cultural monitors held regular karakia during the excavation. “It was quite an emotional time for the archaeologists because they understood the significance of what they were doing,” says Darran. The cultural monitors also spent hours sharing their knowledge with the work teams. Darran attended countless 6am toolbox meetings to talk about cultural safety. One innovation was to show digger and truck drivers a box of exemplar Māori artefacts. Many worker's attitudes changed due to the cultural monitors' input. “By the end of the project we'd have people coming to us saying, ‘Weird things are happening with the machinery at our site (which was near a burial). Can you come and do a karakia?’” says Darran. “Some of the taonga we now hold are because digger drivers were really attentive. We've got some amazing adzes that fell off the back of the truck and they spotted them.”

As the project progressed, the archaeologists and rūnanga increasingly influenced the design process to avoid archaeological sites. “Under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga 2014 Act the first step should be avoidance, not mitigation,” says Jeremy. For much of the coastline construction, the workers would find the margins of sites, and be able to avoid them. As Te Runanga o Kaikōura continued to push back on designs that impacted cultural sites, NCTIR engineers started to kōrero with iwi and hapū earlier in the process. “There's been a lot of learning from both KiwiRail and Waka Kotahi. We hope they will take that forward in future works, to talk with iwi early on about how to avoid damaging wāhi tapu and wāhi tūpuna,” says Darran.

space so that future archaeologists can study the collection on our marae rather than taking it away,” says Darran. “So often artefacts end up in a museum, or in someone's cupboard or garage. To keep the integrity and the wholeness of the collection is a really fantastic outcome,” says Jeremy. Both Darran and Jeremy hope that the lessons from NCTIR can be applied to other construction and roading projects around Aotearoa New Zealand. “It's been a great learning experience for a lot of people,” says Jeremy. n NGĀ KUPU Urupa burial site or cemetery Wāhi tapu place sacred to Māori

One of the most innovative aspects of the NCTIR project has been the repatriation of taonga tūturu (objects that relate to Māori culture, history and society that are over 50 years old) to the wharenui at Takahanga. Waka Kotahi, KiwiRail and Te Rūnagana o Ngāi Tahu gave funds to build a Whare Taonga, which was due to open in late 2021.

Wāhi tūpuna place important to Māori for ancestral significance and cultural and traditional values Kōiwi human remains Whare Taonga treasure house/ museum Tapu sacred, restricted, set apart

Another building will hold the Mātauranga Māori collection of the bird bones, fish bones, soil samples and pollen samples. “We now have a storage and research

Cultural monitors and archaeologists sharing a special moment in front of Takahanga Marae.

Karakia prayer Mātauranga Māori Māori knowledge

Box of artefacts used as a portable training tool for construction workers.

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6 Heritage Quarterly

WELLINGTON

More engagement needed to conserve our historic cemeteries Historic cemeteries form a significant part of our New Zealand landscape, but many are not receiving the care they need. WORDS: David Watt

IMAGES: Friends of Karori Cemetery

emeteries provide a wealth of knowledge about our history, our early settlers and our ancestors, as well as information about prominent political and community leaders who played important roles in the development of our towns and cities. For decades, families and friends have been the guardians of these final resting places. As the years have gone on, however, the process of protecting these places of rest has become exceedingly difficult.

Barbara Mulligan, Vice Chair of the Friends of the Karori Cemetery, Wellington, has lived alongside the cemetery for many years. As New Zealand's second largest cemetery, after Waikemete in Auckland, covering an area of nearly 40 hectares, it is the final resting place for over 85,000 people including six former New Zealand Prime Ministers, Wellington Mayors, business and community leaders, services personnel, and others. It also includes the burial places for many hundreds of people who perished in several tragic events in our history. It was at the forefront of the movement away from burial to cremation. The crematorium Chapel (Category 1 listed), constructed in 1909 was the first to be built in Aotearoa New Zealand. The Karori Cemetery reflects the development of Wellington city from 1891 onwards through two world wars, the 1918 Flu pandemic and the economic depression of the 1930s. A total of 9,000 people died throughout New Zealand during the Flu pandemic. In Wellington city, 14

Heritage Quarterly

some 700 people died between November and December 1918. In one day alone, 63 funerals were conducted at the Karori Cemetery. Barbara, who has great passion for conservation, was determined to do something to commemorate the centenary of that tragic event in Wellington, leading the charge with fellow volunteers' support to repair and mark the graves of those who lost their lives with white crosses. It was a significant achievement. The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister visited these graves before Christmas, to see the extent of this tragedy and loss of life. “This conservation work was a huge undertaking using all the resources we had on hand,” said Barbara. “I was pleased Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson, who has worked closely with us on our conservation objectives, wanted to see these graves on a quiet informal Saturday afternoon.” “We are following the guidance of Council and the Conservation Plan that conservation architect, Chris Cochran, prepared for the Karori Cemetery in 2003. I cannot stress enough the importance of following the right advice around helping to restore graves. You cannot cut corners doing repairs, otherwise significant damage will be done to these historic structures.” Chris Cochran is a Board Member for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and sits on Heritage New Zealand's Māori Heritage Council.

TOP LEFT: PM Jacinda Ardern and Deputy PM Grant Robertson coming away from graves of victims of the 1918 Flu pandemic at Karori Cemetery. TOP RIGHT: School leavers from Karori Normal School on a day trip from the cemetery going up to the historic Crematorium. BELOW: Volunteers undertaking conservation work in an old part of Karori Cemetery.

“We have several priorities going forward, especially to clarify current legislation pertaining to cemeteries such as who can repair/restore a grave. This is a significant issue for all authorities and volunteer groups working in our historic cemeteries.” Ian Bowman, another prominent conservation architect, has considerable experience advising on cemeteries conservation. “Ian has seen some horrors in his travels, as I have too, around damage to gravestones by people not following proper procedures. Ian points to the principles of ICOMOS New Zealand, and to other well-established guidance and practice at historic cemeteries overseas.” Barbara wants to see a strengthening of relationships between volunteer groups and trusts working in cemeteries with Councils, with conservation experts, and with various other professional organisations who are linked with cemeteries. “We need a national conference of minds around the future management and conservation of our cemeteries, to share our thoughts and to establish better working practices between our various bodies. I would also like to see opportunities for volunteers to be trained on how to better maintain and conserve our cemeteries. At the moment, for health and safety reasons, there is a barrier to this being achieved.” “We also need more support from funding institutions to help make our support count,” says Barbara. n NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

Heritage Quarterly

THAMES 16

Heritage Quarterly

NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

3D rendering brings rocks to life at Thames A collection of three-dimensional virtual replicas from the world-renowned collection goes online at the Thames School of Mines. WORDS: John O'Hare

IMAGES: Vanessa Cocal-Smith

uckland University of Technology Master of Science student, Vanessa Cocal-Smith, has been working on a project to digitise 30 rare rock and mineral specimens via photogammatry, making them publicly available on-line and accessible to people around the world.

“The collection at the Thames School of Mines is highly valuable – both scientifically and historically, and the school itself demonstrates the strong connection between geology and society,” says Vanessa. Many of the existing materials were collected and used as educational tools when the School was operational in the 1900s, and some even earlier. “The School presents the progression of educational, technological and scientific advances in the 19th and 20th centuries which is something I hope to continue into the 21st century with this research,” she explains.

epsomite which has tiny fibrous crystals formed by the evaporation of mineral water – these images allow the minerals to be ‘handled’ without causing degradation,” she says. “They also allow people to look at the minerals from different angles and to zoom in to identify features that may not be clear when they're on display. In years to come, the images of the specimens could even be linked to 3D mine crosssections and maps.” As well as close details, the collection also tells a big-picture story. “It's a beautiful story,” Vanessa says, explaining how the rocks inform us of the knowledge of the first iwi and their relationship to the whenua; as well as the Pākehā settlers who came from a global goldrush to settle in the Coromandel and make Thames, briefly, bigger than Auckland.

Photogrammatry involves taking a series of overlapping images which are then ‘stitched’ together using software designed for the task, producing a 3D rendering of the scanned object – complete with colours and textures captured in the images.

“It also tells the story of how mining helped New Zealand gain its wealth for nation building – as well as the stories of women and men who made the mines and settlements possible. In more recent times it's also about how the School educated miners and the wider community, and how today it is the guardian and custodian of these natural treasures,” she explains.

The 3D images have been uploaded to the open-source website Sketchfab, allowing for a new form of cataloguing and the ability to share the collection virtually.

The specimens are part of the rich geoheritage of the area, linked to its over 50 epithermal gold deposits as part of the Coromandel Volcanic Zone.

The painstaking process of capturing the images involved setting up a purposedesigned temporary studio within the School. It also involved, surprisingly, a cake turntable. Each item was placed on the turntable and rotated at 10° intervals, then photographed to manually capture the images via Bluetooth connection to Vanessa's phone.

Going forward, the Thames School of Mines will continue to feature in Vanessa's Masters project, incorporating both geological science and social history.

“Nothing can replace the real deal, but with many specimens being very fragile – like NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

“My research aims to establish links between local geology and mineral samples to specific mines and the stories that emanate from them, looking further into the connections with Tangata Whenua and women – two historically under-represented groups,” she says.

TOP: Augmented reality of Barite levitating over hand. ABOVE: An image detailing the photographic sequencing of individual images that are then ‘stitched’ together to form a 3D scan. LEFT: Vanessa Cocal-Smith.

To view the collection, visit: sketchfab.com/wzs1518/collections/ thames-school-of-mines Her research will also look at developing strategies for public outreach to create an accessible museum experience while also disseminating and integrating the photogrammetric models in ways that can enable them to be used as an educational tool. Vanessa is particularly keen to look at links between rock specimens and the mine locations they came from – and from there, the families who supported the miners, the relationship between iwi and Pākehā settlers, the wealth mining generated – and how it shaped modern New Zealand. n Heritage Quarterly

TOHU WHENUA

Behind the Walls: 150 years of Larnach Castle Tohu Whenua writer, Claudia Babirat, takes us behind the scenes at Aotearoa New Zealand's most well-known castle, where at one point the ballroom was being used as a sheep pen. WORDS: Claudia Babirat

IMAGES: DunedinNZ, Chris Stephenson

erched high on Otago Peninsula, Larnach Castle has everything you'd expect from a castle – lavishly crafted interiors, a ballroom, tower, spiral staircase, beautiful gardens and 150 years of tumultuous past. Last year marked the 150th anniversary since merchant banker and politician William Larnach had land cleared to build his dream home. The milestone was honoured through a number of celebrations including a Victorian fete for the public, a number of special tours and a private gala dinner for the descendants of former owners. A new long-term exhibition called Behind the Walls will remain for this year's visitors. The exhibition tells the castle's lesser-known stories between 1900 (which was the end of the ill-fated Larnach era) to 1967 (when the current family, the Barkers, moved in). Most surprising are the many ways in which the castle was put to use in that time. Following Larnach's suicide in 1898, his already scandalised family was torn apart by legal battles over his property (Larnach died intestate). They subdivided, reducing the estate to 35 acres, and sold many of the chattels and furniture. During this time the castle briefly served as a retreat for Dominican nuns. In 1906, the Government reluctantly purchased the castle. In 1907, it was reported that it was being made secure for criminally insane inmates. This caused panic among some Dunedin and Peninsula residents, who feared that the “most dangerous lunatics in the colony” were to be housed on the Otago Peninsula. The scheme was eventually abandoned, and elderly male patients from Seacliff Mental Asylum were sent there instead. The castle then stood vacant for a number of years, suffering theft and vandalism.

Heritage Quarterly

It then passed through a number of private hands. John Jackson Purdie and his wife Laura bought the castle in 1927 and spent a large sum of money restoring the buildings and grounds as well as installing electricity. They turned the castle into a showplace filled with antiques and for a while it was open to the public. In 1937, friends of the Purdies ran a weekly cabaret, which involved dancing, supper and novelty items throughout the night. But then Mr Purdie got ill. Just 12 years after the Purdies had bought the castle it was on the market again, eventually selling at auction for a very reasonably priced 1,250 pounds. There were two more owners between 1941 and 1967, who also opened the castle to the public intermittently. When Larnach Castle was purchased by Barry and Margaret Barker in 1967 it was in a state of near ruin. The ballroom was being used as a sheep pen and the ill-repair of the roof meant a significant amount of water damage had occurred to the once-stately interior. The Barkers thoroughly researched the original décor, furniture and artwork in order to restore the castle to its original glory. Open to the public throughout, the restoration work has been funded through admission fees. In 2017, Larnach Castle was recognised as a Tohu Whenua – one of Aotearoa New Zealand's best heritage experiences. n

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is a partner in Tohu Whenua, a visitor programme that connects New Zealanders with our unique heritage.

What makes a castle a castle? One of the features that makes Larnach Castle officially worthy of its name is the ‘keep’. A keep is a heavily fortified area with a well to which the occupants can retreat during a siege. Experiencing Larnach Castle Open 365 days of the year, Larnach Castle offers a diverse range of experiences for the whole family: • explore the castle on a self-guided The team of Deltatour arborists who worked on or guided Riddell’s Farm for Arbour Day 2021.

• relax in the award-winning Garden of International Significance • refresh in the Ballroom Cafe with a cup of coffee, or book in for a High Tea experience • treat yourself to a range of luxury accommodation • keep an eye out for one of the castle's many events. For more information visit tohuwhenua.nz

NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

Heritage Quarterly

NORTHLAND

The newly acquired Wesleyan prayer and hymn book which was printed at the Māngungu Mission in its heyday.

Printer's link – historic prayer book hits the right notes A piece of Aotearoa New Zealand's early Te Reo publishing heritage was snapped up at auction recently. WORDS: John O'Hare There was a keen sense of celebration when a prayer and hymn book dating back to 1845 was recently acquired by our Collections Advisor, Belinda Maingay, for the collection at Māngungu Mission – the Wesleyan Mission house at Horeke in the Hokianga. The rare artefact dates to the heyday of the Wesleyan Mission and cost $300 plus an auction house fee. Entitled Ko te Pukapuka on nga Inoinga o te Hahi Ingarani, me nga Himene Weteriana, the Wesleyan prayer and hymn book is written entirely in Te Reo Māori. Even more special is the fact that it was printed at the Wesleyan Mission Press at Māngungu, which is today a Tohu Whenua cared for by our organisation. 20

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The fact that the Wesleyan Mission was able to churn out books like the hymnal can largely be credited to the Rev William Woon. Born in Cornwall, Woon was apprenticed into the printing trade. He showed promise as a preacher, and in 1830 was accepted for the Methodist ministry and appointed to the Friendly Islands (Tonga) mission, arriving in the Bay of Islands on the Lloyds in 1831. Initially his work was in connection with translating and printing the scriptures in Tongan, although in 1833 he resigned and went to Māngungu where he set up a recently arrived printing press. A printer by training, Woon was in a good position

to give practical training to Māngungu missionary John Hobbs. The condition of the prayer book – a second edition – is very tidy considering its age and has clearly been well used over the years with some passages underlined, and words added in pencil. It has also been given a hard cover at some stage. The prayer and hymn book came from the estate of a private collector, Christopher Parr, who passed away recently. His collection included a sizeable number of early New Zealand books and documents. We hope to be able to display the book at Māngungu Mission once an appropriate case is installed. n NGAHURU • AUTUMN 2022

Heritage Quarterly, Ngahuru Autumn 2022

Articles inside

NORTHLAND

TOHU WHENUA

ARCHAEOLOGY

WELLINGTON

WELLINGTON

AUCKLAND

FEATURE INTERVIEW

HAWKE'S BAY

ARCHAEOLOGY

NORTHLAND

EDITORIAL

CANTERBURY