NORTHLAND

Real time conservation at Māngungu Mission

Conservation of one of the oldest buildings cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is underway – and visitors are being invited in to experience this unique project this summer.

Work on Māngungu Mission in the Hokianga has begun with a focus on the building’s historic wallpapers, reflecting different periods in its past.

“You get a sense of how different the house must have felt,” says Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Hokianga Properties Lead, Alex Bell.

“There’s the contrast of these exposed pit-sawn native timbers with some of the vibrant colours and designs of these 19th century wallpaper remnants.

“It’s about conserving the materials – but also the experience, the smells, the views, and the ambience of the place.”

Archaeological features relating to Māngungu Mission – the site of the third and largest signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on 12 February 1840 – are also part of the project, which aims to preserve the original mission settlement underground.

“Although land on the site has been ploughed over the years, an incredible amount of archaeological features can still be preserved – especially with buildings or rubbish pits that have a deep footprint,” says Alex.

“Both Māngungu and Te Waimate Missions are Tohu Whenua and, as early bicultural towns, have the opportunity to reveal important parts of our national story.”

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga collections – including journals, letters, newspapers, prints and books – help personalise the places with stories of grief, anger, sadness, frustration and happiness; and provide the opportunity to connect people’s lives with collection objects. Sustainability is also top of mind.

“These beautiful buildings are made from kauri on a harbour whose hills were once flanked with kauri forests. Conservation is not only about preserving the building but also the material that will become increasingly rare.”

Staff find, record and conserve unique elements of the site using “good oldfashioned hands-on manual labour”. Old-school techniques – like stereoscopic images with a modern adaptation – are being used to create virtual spaces, along with ‘CSI’ UV light technology to identify faint, unrecorded 19th century writing on the timbers.

“It’s a 181-year-old house, and we want to ensure that people working on it when it’s 281 years old know what we did and why,” says Alex.

Cyclists on the Twin Coast Cycle Trail – which runs from the Bay of Islands to Māngungu Mission – have already enjoyed seeing the conservation work as part of their visitor experience; and others can too this summer. It’s a great chance to learn about New Zealand but also the work of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. n

Writer: John O’Hare

ABOVE: Māngungu Mission in the Hokianga.

CREDIT: GRANT SHEEHAN/HERITAGE NEW ZEALAND

POUHERE TAONGA

LEFT: Conservator Rose Evans of Object Lab working on a wall of samples at Māngungu Mission.