EDITORIAL

ANDREW COLEMAN

What is worthy of heritage recognition?

Over the past few years I have had many opportunities to be involved in nominations for particular heritage awards and I also watch with interest the annual awards for technical specialists such as architects, engineers and property groups that have their own heritage categories. I continue to be very impressed, not so much by those regarded as winners, but by all of those who have undertaken work meritorious enough to be nominated.

The Heritage New Zealand magazine is itself an award-winning publication. In this edition of Heritage Quarterly, I can attest to the heritage-award worthiness of every story, programme and individual.

People are often the catalyst for great heritage preservation and protection commitment, and pleasingly here there is a focus on our members, through their own dedicated information and pages. In each of the articles you will hear from people as they explain the motivation and drive to continually seek what is best and right for heritage.

Places are highlighted throughout, with those identified as Tohu Whenua, Wāhi Tūpuna and Wāhi Tapu prominently described. The word ‘significant’ is often the test and the articles identify this important characteristic of heritage in a range of ways. The original site in Ashburton for the Ng King family attests to their inspirational story of arrival and hard work, while the collaborative Whangarei railway building restoration is also a story of restored skills for the community who have revitalised it for a new purpose.

Events also provide special significance and recognition for heritage. There have recently been a number of events that have recognised the heritage listing of significant heritage places such as Te Kamaka o Arowhenua, Lopdell House, Consedine House, Lochiel and the Wellington Trades Hall. All are very well described in this edition and each is in its own right meritorious.

To answer the question: What is worthy of heritage recognition? Every person, every place and every event that advances heritage is worthy of heritage recognition for their commitment and dedication to heritage.

But this answer also leads to other questions. Should there be winners? How does each person, place or event compare? How can they be judged against each other?

Nominations for awards are submitted knowing that there will likely be others contesting that they are worthy. This suggests a competition that needs judging and that there should be winners. The examples of winners through regional heritage awards such as Whanganui, Canterbury, Nelson and Dunedin as well as those through professional groups and those other areas such as publications, painting and lighting suggest that heritage can have competition. It is not a negative. It is quite inspirational.

I believe it is time for us to consider the merit of an Aotearoa New Zealand National Heritage Award. Imagine the fanfare and the function when this is announced. It is worth working towards. n

ANDREW COLEMAN

CHIEF EXECUTIVE