Editorial

BEHIND BARS

Opening the doors to Dunedin Gaol

GOOD FOLK

Musicians find home in former fortification

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

Heritage detective work reveals one of our oldest buildings

Community CARE Stunning Pūtiki church restored

Heritage Issue 157 Hōtoke • Winter 2020 ISSN 1175-9615 (Print) ISSN 2253-5330 (Online)

Cover image: St Paul’s Memorial Church, Pūtiki by Mark Brimblecombe

Editor Caitlin Sykes, Sugar Bag Publishing

Sub-editor Trish Heketa, Sugar Bag Publishing

Art director Amanda Trayes, Sugar Bag Publishing

Publisher Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Heritage New Zealand magazine is published quarterly by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. The magazine has an audited circulation of 11,512 as at 30 September 2018. The views expressed in the articles are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

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Email: The Editor at heritagenz@gmail.com Post: The Editor, c/- Heritage New Zealand National Office, PO Box 2629, Wellington 6140

Feature articles: Note that articles are usually commissioned, so please contact the Editor for guidance regarding a story proposal before proceeding. All manuscripts accepted for publication in Heritage New Zealand magazine are subject to editing at the discretion of the Editor and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

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Anchor me

‘At the time of writing’ is one of those handy phrases that we journalists use to hedge our bets, covering us when things may change between the time of writing and the time of reading.

I’ve found it a particularly handy device for everyday life in this publication, as each issue must be planned, and writers commissioned, months in advance – mainly due to the often slow-moving and complex nature of heritage projects, but also to the fact that we publish just four times a year so the stories need to be relatively timeless.

‘Everyday life’, however, seems very far away at this time of writing. Autumn has drawn in and we’re in lockdown, tightly enclosed in a bubble at home, the confines of which we leave only for essential food runs and neighbourhood walks.

Covid-19 has changed how we do so much in our daily lives, but I feel extremely fortunate that so far our whānau are happy and well. As we do our bit and stay home, the media shows us every day the terrible reality that many, many others here and around the world have not been so lucky.

It certainly feels strange to be writing this regular feature against such an irregular backdrop. With everything so unsettled and uncertain, we’re considering, for example, what practical mechanisms we might use to get the content we’ve created for this issue to readers. At the time of reading, of course, you’ll have the answer in your hands.

Thankfully, our long lead times meant that all our stories and photography were completed in the nick of time, prior to the country going into lockdown. Looking back now at the pieces we worked on just a few short weeks earlier, it seems like a lifetime ago.

For this issue, for example, I was able to sit down for a coffee with a handful of the members of The Friends of St David’s Trust in a heaving cafe in Grafton, Auckland, to chat about how the group came together and ultimately gained heritage protection for the church through Auckland Council. Such a simple act in the life of a journalist, yet completely undoable today.

Many of our heritage places, however, have seen events of this magnitude before. They hold the stories of people who have faced previous pandemics, wars, recessions and other major crises and so provide a tangible way for us to remember, understand and make sense of those stories – particularly when reflecting on our current situation. In a swirling sea of uncertainty, they can provide an anchor.

And they endure. Thanks to heritage preservation efforts, and the communities that continue to gather around them today, these special places stand as powerful reminders of our resilience. And if we need to be reminded of anything right now, I reckon it’s just that. Ngā mihi nui

Caitlin Sykes

Editor

Given the uncertainty due to Covid-19, please be aware some information in our stories related to the timing of events and public accessibility of sites may have changed from the time of writing. If in doubt, and where possible, please contact the site directly for further information. RETURN TO CONTENTS

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