Te Papa's Blog

What’s going on behind the scenes: an update

17 May 2013 – 1.58pm

Science, Library Services and Managing Risk to our Collections

You may have seen the story about Te Papa on Campbell Live on Monday night which questioned our commitment to Science, and the future of our collections.

Some of the points made in the story were misleading and inaccurate and this communication is to provide some clarification.

Te Papa’s collections sit at the heart of everything the Museum does. It’s the interpretation of the collections and the importance of research and scholarship behind that which supports us in telling and sharing our Nation’s story. This has been a key driver behind the recent restructure and remains an important objective for the future.

Investing in Science

Te Papa’s commitment to Science is growing. We have reorganised the structure of the existing Science programme to accommodate a broader approach to include Physical, Earth and Technological Sciences, including the remarkable history of Science in New Zealand, without diminishing our commitment to Natural History. This is an exciting prospect for Science at Te Papa which will take us in new directions and strengthen Te Papa’s long established position as the premiere Science museum in New Zealand.

We must adapt if Te Papa’s Science programme is to reflect the changing picture of Science in New Zealand and to inspire new generations of scientists for the future.

We are underpinning this commitment by strengthening our curatorial capability in these areas, and establishing six new scientific roles to fulfil this ambition. These include a new position of Head of Science to set the new strategic direction for Science and Technology, as well as two new Science Advisers for the Physical and Earth Sciences. We have also created three Assistant Curator positions for the Sciences to ensure the foundations of our knowledge, its development and the nation’s curatorial expertise are secured for the future. Senior post-doctoral research positions will also be added as the research programme expands.

To care for our collections we need a mix of Collection Managers with broad skills to contribute across a number of collection areas and with the proven expertise to work in a specific area of the collections and work across other collection areas. As a result, collection management roles will now meet a wider set of needs in regard to the collections.

We have not reduced our capability of practising/researching Scientists or Curators.

All research programmes that were in place in 2012 continue. To support the future direction of research, Dr Claudia Orange, Practice Leader Research is developing Te Papa’s research programme. A new independent Research Advisory Panel, which includes four external distinguished Science-based panellists, will provide oversight and monitor the direction of our research programme.

Our refreshment plan for the galleries at Te Papa over the next few years will include our major Natural History exhibits, Awesome Forces and Mountains to Sea, and these will showcase our own scientific research and that of our Science partners.

Library Services

Te Papa has changed the way the library service operates, which is also about ensuring our library collections sit with the departments or with the Curators that will use them. This model is in line with how most other Museums operate, internationally. We are also sharing our Library collections with other institutions such as Victoria University of Wellington with whom we have a Memorandum of Understanding specifically for mutual library access. There is no change to public access of the Library collection nor a reduction in the number of Library staff.

The Sciences Library (Hector Room) at the Tory St facility remains available to staff, in addition to an archive reading room available to the public by appointment. We also have a dedicated Sciences Librarian to support research in this area. There are no budget changes to Science Library resources, or Science publications, towards which a significant portion of the budget goes.

The Humanities Library located behind Te Huka ā Tai opened this week for staff to use for research purposes.

We will continue to provide a reading room service and research space for the public by appointment at a new location above Signs of a Nation, Level 4, which is due to open late-June. There will be no diminution of the existing service.

Prior to distributing the library collections to departments the Cable Street collection was reviewed; a practice which is normal in all libraries everywhere. It is standard practice for libraries to review their content to ensure that library collections are current and relevant.

Duplicate and out of scope publications were offered to other libraries and institutions. Those that remained were offered to staff. In some instances these publications were unable to re-homed, and were recycled. This was a very small proportion of publications.

Managing the Risk to Our Collections

Te Papa has the responsibility to ensure that all risks to its collections are minimised. We are examining long term storage solutions that take into account seismic and other natural risks as part of the development of our 10 year strategy. It would be irresponsible of the Museum not to explore such risks, which are real and present. We have been very proactive following the Christchurch earthquakes in improving health and safety and seismic strength of the building as well as the safe containment of the collections.

Te Papa is not diminishing any of its collections. We are scoping a number of storage options to minimise any risk to them. This includes ensuring that they continue to remain fully accessible research collections. The protection of our staff and its collections is at the forefront of our thinking. At this stage no decisions have been made any future locations. Any decision will take account of our stated commitment in the Vision to providing national access to the national collection through a variety of solutions.

By Te Papa | Posted in News | Comments (2)

Remembering Mele Saiatua Lavulo (1916-2013) – a leader in the Tongan community

17 May 2013 – 10.25am

It is with sadness that the Pacific Cultures team at Te Papa acknowledges the recent passing of Mele Saiatua Lavulo. Saiatua was born in Tatakamotonga, Mu’a in Tonga in 1916. She had many achievements in her lifetime, and became an important figure in the history of the Tongan community in New Zealand. We had the privilege of meeting Saiatua in 2006-7. Kolokesa Māhina-Tuai (former Pacific Cultures curator) interviewed her for the exhibition Tangata o le Moana: the story of Pacific people in New Zealand, which is currently on at Te Papa.

In the interview, Saiatua talks about her experiences working with the Tongan community during the infamous ‘dawn raids’ of the 1970s. The dawn raids were part of a tough stance by the New Zealand government towards people who had overstayed temporary visas. The controversial campaign targeted Pacific Islanders, while turning a blind eye to overstayers of European or other descent. It involved raids on houses (often at dawn) and work places, along with random street checks. Migrants were subjected to racial discrimination and harassed and prosecuted for overstaying. Saiatua, her husband Tevita Kautau Lavulo, and lawyer and son in law Clive Edwards helped many Tongan overstayers with residency applications during this time. They provided crucial leadership and advice to the Tongan community in a time of crisis. In this short extract from her interview Saiatua recalls an incident during the ‘dawn raids’.

“When the Congregational Church of Tonga was being built (in Ponsonby) rumors were being circulated that people who were living there were overstayers. I will tell you of one instance when we had just finished work and we headed to our church, this was in 1978. Together with a family, who had already received their permit’s, we prepared food for the people who were building the church. While my husband, Tevita Kautau Lavulo, was blessing the food in an upstairs room of the large building next door to where the church was being built, two immigration officers turned up at the door. I stood up and went outside and downstairs with the immigration officers who explained that they had been informed by people that the house was full of overstayers. They told me that they can see that there is a prayer being said and I explained that we were in the middle of blessing the food we had prepared and that they were mistaken about the house being full of overstayers,there are no overstayers living in the building. I told them that we were just having a meal and that afterwards we would all leave the church. It was common during this time for people to tell on others, but regardless of this, there were many families that were blessed and ended up remaining here.”

Acknowledgement: My thanks to Kolokesa Māhina-Tuai for her assistance with this post.

Mele Saiatua Lavulo (1916 – 2013)

Oral histories in the exhibition Tangata o le Moana: the story of Pacific people in New Zealand. Saiatua appears first on the left with Veimau Lepa, The Honourable Anand Satyanand and Tumanuvao Alfred Tupu.

Oral histories in the exhibition Tangata o le Moana: the story of Pacific people in New Zealand

By seanjmallon | Posted in Pacific | Tagged History, oral history, Pacific, Te Papa, Tonga | Comments (0)

Solander: Kingdom of the Birds

16 May 2013 – 2.45pm

Steeped in history, Solander Island stands as a reminder of how beautiful it once was in this land which once was the kingdom of the birds.

Monday 6 May

Our party of 3 comprising Dr Dominique Filippi, Director Sextant Technology Ltd, Jean Claude Stahl (photographer scientist) and myself (Michael Hall) spend time readying for the trip. Comprehensive checks of our bags at the Invercargill Doc office, to ensure no stray flora or fauna make it to the island, are carried out along with safety briefings and last minute words of advice.

Tuesday 7 May

We head off to the rendezvous point with the chopper, Clifton, a blip on the map south of Invercargill and are greeted by Rob, former pilot for the famous Jacques Cousteau and almost as famous boat Calypso.

Flying over the sea in the chopper, the steep cliffs of Solander loom out of the mist like a latter day Kong island. Once home to a band of hapless sealers for five years, forgotten by their employers and left to fend for themselves, this looks like no place for an extended stay!

Approaching Solander, accessible only with permit and as weather permits. Photo credit: Michael Hall © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Hovering above our landing spot seals scatter in all directions, a flurry of noise and activity sees our provisions for the next few days unloaded and then, in a moment the chopper is gone, silence bar the crashing waves and honking of seals.

Jean Claude points us towards our new campsite not far from the landing spot. I stumble along the beach doing my best to keep up with the two Frenchmen, alas my city legs are no match for them as they steam ahead.

When I finally arrive at the site two tents are nearly up. Several large rocks fall from the cliffs above and we decide it might be wise to move our site elsewhere.

Second campsite in the colony. Photo credit: Michael Hall © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Our new campsite, higher up a small gully, is right in the middle of the action.

The first thing I notice is the chicks. Looking like little furry dodos they sit high in the nest waiting for their next feed. As you near the nests, the chicks make a clop, clop sound; if get too close they spew, nice!

Buller’s albatross chick. Photo credit: Michael Hall © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Pairs of the bigger birds resplendent with their striking yellow beaks and dark grey markings set against white plumage, waddle around each other awkwardly, nodding and rubbing beaks in a ritualised mating dance, while singles sit patiently, waiting to be noticed.

Above us the sky is filled with birds, this is where the albatross is truly king.

Wheeling high above they hug the cliffs, riding the eddies and updrafts with ease. At sea they skim the surface, often glancing a wing into the water, but still never seeming to flap, mesmerizing.

Albatross in flight. Photo credit: Michael Hall © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Weds 8 May

Time is spent attaching the loggers to the birds, these will record flight details, and also proximity to boats, useful information when looking at ways to understand and preserve these amazing creatures.

Close up Buller's albatross, or mollymawk. Photo credit: Michael Hall © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Close up of a Buller’s albatross, or mollymawk. Photo credit: Michael Hall © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Jean Claude informs me one recorder showed a flight of 3000km over a 32 hour period, that’s an average speed of nearly 100kmh, and again over water.

After two relatively fine days taking photos attaching loggers and enjoying extensive 3 course banquets on the camp stoves, our honeymoon with Solander is about to end.

Thursday 9 May

The day breaks looking a little more ominous, the sea is getting big as a front closes in from the southwest. By midday we are holed up in our tents the wind is screaming, rain , hail, thunder and lightning, this is the Solander Island I was warned about. Still the birds are happy.

Albatross at home on rough seas. Photo credit: Michael Hall © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Friday 10 May

The weather has cleared and time for this city boy to take his leave, the hardened scientists are staying on to retrieve the loggers.

At the copter landing site I stare out to sea. A convoy of Albatross rises effortlessly on some unseen current, and glide over me, a fitting send off from this remarkable place.

Driving back to Invercargill in the DOC van we stop at McCracken Rest. A rusted signpost points out to sea ‘Solander Island 72km’ I look hoping to glimpse the island but see nothing.

Signpost, McCrackens Rest, ‘Solander Island 72km’. Photo credit: Michael Hall © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

I would like to thank the following people for their help and support on the trip;

Sharon and Janice from Doc, Janice for the ride back into town.
Terry Nicholas from Hokunui Runanga, for his Hospitality and Hot shower.
Rob and Sam the Helicopter pilots for getting us there safely.
Dominique and Jean Claude for their companionship and for watching out for me.
Susan Waugh for sending us down.

Further reading;

Seal Hunting around Solander Island - Article in Poverty Bay Herald, published 1914
Te Ara’s article on New Zealand sealers
Martin Cathy singing Davy Lowston, a chilling tale of shipwreck in the southern Arctic in 1810

By Te Papa | Posted in Birds | Tagged albatross, ornithology, science, Solander Island | Comments (0)

Kia ora from northern Germany

14 May 2013 – 7.51pm

Moin!

That is how you say Kia ora or Hello in Oldenburg, which is where my family and I have been living since August 2013. As I near the half-way point in my 18-month fellowship, I thought I would show you where I am living, update you on what I have been up to in the lab, and introduce you to my lovely colleagues here.

Oldenburg is located in the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany and has about 160,000 inhabitants, most of whom get around by bicycle, ourselves included.

Getting on our bicycles at Pferdemarkt, Oldenburg, Germany, Sept 2012. Photo by Mauricio López.

Each day I cycle to the University of Oldenburg, where I am curently based. The best part of my 15-minute daily commute is cylcing down the last kilometre along Drögen-Hasen-Weg.

My trusty bicycle at the start of Drögen-Hasen-Weg, about 1 km from the University of Oldenburg, May 2013. Note also the beautiful spring flowers! Photo by Heidi Meudt.

My colleagues tell me that “Drögen-Hasen-Weg” means “Dry Feet Way” in Plattdüütsch, the local dialect of German still spoken in this area. In earlier times, this road was a way for the locals to get around without having to cross any waterways. Photo by Heidi Meudt.

The beautiful native trees (“Traubeneiche”, or sessile oak, Quercus petrea) that line this “Eichenallee” (literally, “oak avenue”) are now a protected natural monument.

Sessile oak trees (Quercus petraea) along the Drögen-Hasen-Weg Eichenallee, Oldenburg, Germany. Here they are just beginning to show their new green spring leaves, May 2013. Photo by Heidi Meudt.

A fellow commuter along the Drögen-Hasen-Weg Eichenallee, Oldenburg, Germany, May 2013. Photo by Heidi Meudt.

After cycling through the beautiful tunnel of oak trees (did I mention I get to do this every day?), I arrive at the science campus of the University of Oldenburg, and turn right at this sign to get to my office. Photo by Heidi Meudt.

I have come to Oldenburg to work on a research project regarding polyploidy in New Zealand and European Veronica with Dirk Albach, and in the process learn some new techniques. Polyploidy means whole genome doubling, and it occurs in Veronica species from both areas. We will compare the genes that are expressed in European and New Zealand polyploid species with their closest diploid relatives to determine when these genome doubling events occurred, confirm that the polyploid species likely evolved following hybridisation of diploid ancestors, and compare patterns of evolution of duplicated genes.

One of the first things I learned was how to extract RNA, or ribonucleic acid, from leaf tissue.

Here I am with Eike Mayland-Quellhorst, grinding up some Veronica leaf tissue in liquid nitrogen for RNA extractions in the lab, May 2013. Photo by Silvia Kempen.

Once the tissue has been ground to a fine powder, it is poured with the liquid nitrogen into a small tube. Photo by Silvia Kempen.

Here I am extracting the RNA of the ground leaf tissue at the clean bench in the lab. Photo by Simon Pfanzelt.

Once the RNA is extracted and cleaned up, it is checked to determine whether it is of sufficient quality and quantity for sequencing. The next step will be to send the samples to a sequencing facility, and hopefully soon I will get some new data to analyse!

Another part of the project involves determining genome size, that is, measuring how much DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) a particular plant contains in the nuclei of its cells. By working with Silvia Kempen, one of the technicians in the lab, I have learned how to use a flow cytometer and have measured the genome size of several Veronica species.

Getting everything ready in the flow cytometry lab to measure the genome size of three samples, May 2013. Photo by Silvia Kempen.

Chopping up the leaves from the first sample with a razor blade in preparation for flow cytometry, May 2013. Photo by Silvia Kempen.

Watching Silvia calibrate the flow cytometer, which is the small machine to the right of the computer. Once the machine is calibrated, it is ready to measure the genome size of our prepared samples, May 2013. Photo by Eike Mayland-Quellhorst.

I must admit, the lab work has had its ups and downs, and it has taken me longer to get to this point than I had planned. One logistical problem we had, was that the plant material collected prior to my arrival did not result in good RNA extractions. That meant we needed to collect fresh plant material and retry the extractions, so I did my part by heading to Mallorca, Spain, on a collecting trip.

Collecting Veronica plants in Mallorca, Spain, with local botanist and PhD student Jaume Seguí Colomar. Photo by Mauricio López.

But perhaps delays, hiccups and changes are to be expected when one is learning new techniques, in a new lab, in a new country, and in a new language, no less! Although I speak quite a bit of English at the university, I am taking an evening language course, and I seek out daily opportunities to practice German with my colleagues. Speaking of which, here they are!

Photo of Dirk Albach’s working group, outside our office and lab space at the Universtiy of Oldenburg, May 2013. Standing, left to right, Heidi Meudt, Eike Mayland-Quellhorst, Vera Mageney, Niklas Buhk, Katarzyna Palinska, Thomas Schmidt, Jane Looschen, Jennifer Nolzen, Lillian-Lee Müller, Imke Notholt, Simon Pfanzelt, Ute Friedrichs, Maria Brandes, Lena Koehler. In front, Bernhard von Hagen and Dirk Albach. Photo by Gerhard Zotz.

Lab outings and field trips are a great way to get to know each other. One day last October, we took a trip to the nearby North Sea coast to the Wattenmeer (Wadden Sea), which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

At the Wattenmeer (Wadden Sea) along the North Sea coast in Germany in May 2013. From left to right Petr Kosachev, Eike Mayland-Quellhorst, Dirk Albach, Carolina García, Simon Pfanzelt. Photo by Heidi Meudt.

Then in February, one afternoon our lab took a “Grünkohlfahrt” (literally, “kale walk”), which is a regional custom involving walking around with your friends or colleagues while eating, drinking, and playing special, regional games together. Oldenburg claims to be the kale capital of Germany.

Here I am on our Grünkohlfahrt (“kale walk”) taking my turn at the northern German sport called “Boßeln”, which is essentially outdoor road bowling! Feb 2013. Photo by Silvia Kempen.

At the end of the Grünkohlfahrt, we sat down together to share some excellent regional cuisine…

Our traditional northern German dinner after the “kale walk”, including two types of German sausages (Pinkel and Kochwurs), potatoes, and (of course!) kale! Feb 2013. Photo by Silvia Kempen.

And earlier this month, we had a very exciting special visitor, Radio New Zealand journalist Veronika Meduna, who came to interview Dirk and me about our collaborative research. You can hear the resulting interview here.

Dirk Albach and his son Felix, Veronika Meduna, and Heidi Meudt in the University of Oldenburg glasshouses during our interview. There is one Veronica plant in a pot in front of us, and several kale plants behind us. April 2013. Photo copyright Veronika Meduna, Radio NZ National.

On both professional and personal levels, our experience in Germany so far has been at times enlightening, challenging, surprising, and overwhelming. Germany is a great place to do scientific research, and there are countless opportunities to learn about and experience its fascinating culture and history. Our first 9 months have certainly qualified as an adventure so far, and I look forward to experiencing what the next 9 months will bring.

Bis dann!

A big thank you to my whanau for supporting and accompanying me in this adventure. Here they are in the Schlossgarten (Palace Garden) in the winter snow! The main church of Oldenburg, Lambertikirche, is in the background. Jan 2013. Photo by Heidi Meudt.

By Heidi Meudt | Posted in Biodiversity, Field trips, Plants, Veronica | Tagged botany, DNA, flow cytometry, genome size, Germany, Humboldt Foundation, Mallorca, New Zealand, RNA, University of Oldenburg, Veronica | Comments (2)

What’s going on behind the scenes

14 May 2013 – 3.03pm

There’s been some publicity about Te Papa lately and in particular our commitment to science and the future of the National Collections. Just so we’re all clear, here are the facts.

Te Papa’s commitment to science hasn’t changed, in fact we are strengthening it. We have not reduced our numbers of practising and researching scientists or curators.

We have broadened our sciences programme to include physical, earth and technological sciences.

We have also strengthened our curatorial capability and have established six new scientific roles including a new position of Head of Science. We have created three assistant curator positions and senior research positions will also be added as our research programme expands.

All research programmes underway last year remain in place. We are also refreshing our major natural history exhibits, Awesome Forces and Mountains to Sea, and these will showcase our own scientific research as well as that of our science partners.

In other developments, we have changed the way Library Services operate. We have reviewed our library collection and the material now sits with the departments and curators who use them. We then offered the remaining material to other institutions like Victoria University. Any other material which was duplicated or out of scope was offered to staff. In some instances these publications were unable to be re-homed and were recycled. This was a very small proportion of publications.

The Sciences Library, the Hector Room at Tory Street, is still there and there’s an archive reading room available by appointment. We also now have a dedicated Sciences Librarian. We will continue to provide a reading room service and research space for the public by appointment at a new location on Te Papa’s Level 4. That’s due to open at the end of next month.

One final point: the National Collection. We have a responsibility to take excellent care of it and we take that responsibility extremely seriously. We’ve been looking at long term storage solutions so that the Collection will be safe in the event of a natural disaster like an earthquake. We’ve made no decision yet on where that might be, but rest assured our focus is on the preservation and safety of the Collection for future generations.

By Te Papa | Posted in News, Uncategorized | Comments (7)

How to DNA sex birds.

11 May 2013 – 2.13pm

The males and females of many bird species are difficult to distinguish by their appearance (peacocks are a notable exception). There are many situations where it is useful to know the sex of birds including captive breeding programmes, behavioural studies and even species delimitation in extinct taxa.

DNA sexing provides a simple and quick way to determine which birds are females and which are males. We have been using this technique for some of our bird research projects, including our study of the prion wreck of 2011. For our prion study we want to determine whether there is a gender bias in the birds that were wrecked.

So how does DNA sexing work for birds? By way of background, birds have a different chromosome system to us for determining their sex. In mammals, including us, males have an X and a Y chromosome and females have two X chromosomes. In contrast, birds have a ZW sex-determination system whereby males have two Z chromosomes and females both Z and W chromosomes.

Sex chromosomes in birds and mammals. Figure credit: Lara Shepherd

To genetically sex a bird, DNA is first obtained from a blood, feather or tissue sample. We used tongue samples for the prions.

From these DNA samples we made lots of copies of the CHD region, a gene that occurs on both the Z and W chromosomes. Our processing of these gene copies produces a single DNA band for males (because they only have one type of chromosome) and two bands for females (representing the different CHD copies from the Z and W chromosomes).

Prion sex assignment based on the CHD region. Females have two DNA bands – the top band is from the W chromosome and the lower band is from the Z chromosome. Males just have the single Z chromosome band. The lane on the far left with multiple bands contains a size standard with bands of known size. Photo credit Lara Shepherd

DNA sexing is also possible for humans, albeit using a modified method suited to our X/Y chromosome system, and is routinely used in forensics. A recent example is the detection of female DNA on the bombs used in the Boston marathon bombing.

By Lara Shepherd | Posted in Biodiversity, Birds | Tagged avian, Birds, CHD, DNA sexing, female, male, prions, sex determination | Comments (0)

News from Loans: Angels & Aristocrats at Auckland Art Gallery

7 May 2013 – 5.32pm

Still life, mid-to-late 17th century, Germany. Maker unknown, van Kessel II, Jan. Gift of Dr G.F.V. Anson, T.V. Anson, H.V. Anson and Mrs F.S. Maclean, 1943. Te Papa

Back in August 2012 I alerted you to the glorious exhibition titled Angels & Aristocrats. The exhibition, curated by Mary Kisler, celebrates the rich variety of early European art collected by New Zealand’s public art galleries since the 19th century. Te Papa is one of those institutions that lent paintings to the exhibition.

Portrait of Captain James Cook, circa 1780, England. Webber, John. Gift of the New Zealand Government, 1960. Te Papa

In August 2012 the exhibition was showing in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery and it has since been on display at Te Papa in Wellington. It is now showing in the place where it was conceived; at the Auckland Art Gallery.

Portrait of a young man, 16th century. Mor van Dashorst, Anthonis. Gift of Miss Noeline Baker, 1955. Te Papa

I was in Auckland at the weekend and I took the opportunity to visit. It looks quite different to the exhibition at Te Papa but no less wonderful. And the exhibition still contains paintings from Te Papa’s collection which look splendid on the walls.

Mrs Humphrey Devereux, 1771, Boston. Copley, John Singleton. Gift of the Greenwood family, 1965. Te Papa

The exhibition ends on 10 June 2013 so there is still a little time to visit if you haven’t done so already. If you do go, look out the five paintings Te Papa lent to the exhibition.

Portrait of Mrs W. Collins, 1826. Carpenter, Margaret. Gift of John Duthie, 1912. Te Papa

By Jo Torr | Posted in Art, Borrowing and Lending, Collections Online | Tagged angels & aristocrats, Art, Auckland Art Gallery, exhibition, loans | Comments (0)

April 1913: This month last century

30 April 2013 – 5.34pm

100 years ago HMS New Zealand arrives in New Zealand (12 April 1913)

Model of the battlecruiser HMS New Zealand, 1955 – 1959, New Zealand. T. Devitt. Gift of the Wellington Marine Model Club, 1959. Te Papa.

In March 1909, New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward announced that ‘the Dominion’ (New Zealand) was offering ‘the Motherland’ (Britain) the ‘free gift of … a first-class battleship’.

The Prime Minister thought that his offer to pay for a ship would allow New Zealanders to take ‘much greater pride and interest’ in the Empire’s defence. This proved to be enormously popular in New Zealand, and Parliament authorised the expenditure of up to £2 million on the ‘gift ship’.

The ship’s construction began in early 1910, and was completed in November 1912, having been given the name HMS New Zealand in 1911.

HMS New Zealand in a terrific gale, 1910s. Maker unknown. Te Papa

Her ‘thank you’ visit to New Zealand, during April and May 1913, was a triumph. The medal below was made to commemorate the occasion. Huge crowds flocked to see her – at Wellington on 16 April alone, over 15,000 people went aboard. She called at most of New Zealand’s major ports, where her visits inspired impressive demonstrations of patriotic fervour.

Medal commemorating the visit of H.M.S. New Zealand, 1913. New Zealand. William Rose Bok, Te Papa

Medal commemorating the visit of H.M.S. New Zealand, 1913. New Zealand. William Rose Bock, Te Papa

HMS New Zealand participated in several major naval battles during WWI. In 1919, she made another, farewell visit to New Zealand. The presentation casket (below) was presented to the wife of the Governor General at a ball that was held in the Wellington Town Hall to commemorate the event.

Presentation casket, circa 1919, New Zealand. Maker unknown. Purchased 2012. Te Papa.

Read Leslie Adkin’s enthusiastic diary entry about his visit to HMS New Zealand on Collections Online

Follow HMS New Zealand’s journey on the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s website

Read about New Zealand’s imperial loyalties and contributions to imperial defence in the 1900s and 1910s on the Slice of Heaven exhibition mini-site.

See objects in Te Papa’s collections related to HMS New Zealand

By Kirstie Ross | Posted in Collections Online, Exhibitions, History, Slice of Heaven: 20th Century Aotearoa | Tagged battle cruisers, British Empire, HMS New Zealand, New Zealand history, Royal Navy, Slice of Heaven: 20th Century Aotearoa, world war I | Comments (0)

A tribute to font designer Joseph Churchward (1933-2013)

30 April 2013 – 3.35pm

Joseph Churchward standing before portraits of his family, 2008 (photo: Norman Heke).

We would like to pay a special tribute to Samoan artist Joseph Churchward who sadly passed away last weekend. We were privileged to have worked with Joseph in 2008, when my colleague Sean Mallon (Senior Curator Pacific Cultures) and I curated the exhibition Letter Man: Joseph Churchward’s world of type (2008). I recall well Joseph’s sense of humour and his love of family history.

Joseph’s work ethic and commitment to his art practice was inspiring, and a small collection of his work housed in Te Papa’s Pacific Cultures Collection is a testament to his lifelong passion of designing fonts. To view Joseph’s collection, please visit Te Papa’s Collections Online links below

Joseph Churchward’s collection at Te Papa

Queen’s service medal for font designer Joseph Churchward

Joseph’s work in print and digital media is a lasting legacy. Our sincere condolences to the Churchward family at this time.

Ia manuia lau malaga Joseph. May you rest in peace.

By Safua Akeli | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Collections Online, Joseph Churchward, Te Papa | Comments (1)

Sense and Sensibility in the Southern Ocean – A character-building story of albatross and researcher personalities in extreme conditions. Part 6. Terres Inconnues

24 April 2013 – 7.02pm

Here at the Crozet Islands most remote field Cabin, Pointe Basse, we’re conducting a study of the personality of albatrosses, and linking their behaviour at sea with those we can measure at the nest. We’re doing this with the aid of an inflatable blue cow, named Betsy. Betsy helps us in testing how nesting birds respond to a novel objects. Their responses are noted by us, as we make the little bovine approach over a few metres on a long carbon-fibre pole. Birds seem to either pretend Betsy is not there, or in some of cases, snap at the cow and grumble as she approaches, sits for her chronometered 60 seconds in front of the nest, and then retreats. This allows CNRS Researcher Dr Samantha Patrick to place them on a personality continuum from shy to bold.

We film the exercise, with a small wide-angle camera mounted on the cow’s horns and score the behaviours as they occur in the field. While the link to 19th Century English Literature may seem tenuous, the fascination of people for personality, its heritability and influence on our lives has been ongoing for almost as long as people have written novels. Edward Ferrars, a notoriously shy protagonist in Ms Austin’s 1811 novel Sense and Sensibility said “Shyness is only the effect of a sense of inferiority in some way or other”. Can this be true for albatrosses? Does being bolder or shyer accrue some benefits to the possessor of these traits? Is it easier to find food, or mates, or navigate life’s difficulties if, as an albatross, your character is of one type or another?

Betsy takes a rest in the albatross colony as a group of young wandering albatross display in the back-ground]. Photo: Susan Waugh, Courtesy of Susan Waugh.

Betsy takes a rest in the albatross colony as a group of young Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans display in the back-ground. Photo: Susan Waugh, Courtesy of Susan Waugh.

We’re linking the behaviours and personality types to the birds’ activity at sea. They’re satellite-tracked using miniature GPS devices, which we fit to the birds back feathers. After a turn a sea, the devices are removed and we download them to discover where the bird travelled to. Although the results of this study will take several months to analyse for Dr Patrick and colleagues at the CNRS, we’re already seeing some interesting outcomes. Male and females appear to have fairly discrete foraging grounds, and there’s some hint that age influences the distance and duration of foraging trips.

Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans tracks from Crozet Islands, tracked during our study in the incubation period, March 2013. The pink track is a female, the blue a male.

Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans foraging tracks from GPS tracking work conducted by the CNRS from incubating birds at the Crozet Islands in 2013. The more northerly track of a female (pink) took the bird to waters off South Africa while many males such as the one shown here (blue) foraged near the Antarctic continent. Graphic Samantha Patrick, Courtesy of Samantha Patrick.

Only with an exceedingly well-known group of individuals such as that at Pointe Basse, studied for over 40 years, are the strategies of particular birds making up a population able to be determined. We’re beginning to understand what a population does on average is rarely exhibited by any individual, and that a range of behaviours and strategies are used by different birds to make their living.

The link between these strategies and their contribution to the growth of the population, i.e. which birds most successfully raise chicks year upon year, is still being probed into through this work. If the results are conclusive, and can be linked to heritability of traits, it will raise questions about whether certain individuals have a better chance, from the outset at making it back into the breeding population, and contributing in their turn to the next generation of albatrosses.

Do bold birds prefer to pair with like individuals, and how is the mix of these traits maintained in the population? What effect does change in the environment, either human-induced or ‘natural’, have on the probability of birds of a particular type surviving?

For example, are bold birds more likely to interact with dangers in their environment, such as fishing hooks, or more likely to succeed in competitive exchanges for food, or other resources?

The field accommodation at Pointe Basse albatross colony can house 6-8 researchers, and is well stocked with provisions to allow monitoring of the colony during ciritical periods throughout the year. Photo: Susan Waugh, Courtesy of Susan Waugh.

The benefits of long-term research programmes, such as that carried out at Pointe Basse are many, and only a few examples exist in New Zealand of this kind of work on wild populations of birds. One is the study of Buller’s Albatrosses at the Snares Islands by NIWA researchers, and that of Red-billed gulls at Kaikoura. We’re able to understand how the rise and fall of human interventions in the bird’s environment influence the populations, and how long-term change such as sea-surface temperature or wind patterns can affect them. For France, a considerable logistical programme, run by the Institut polaire français Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV), exists to support this work conducted by some of the most scientifically productive research centres globally.

Researchers and logistical support staff unload scientific equipment at the Base at the Crozet Islands in preparation for the field campaign of 2013. Photo: Susan Waugh, Courtesy of Susan Waugh.

Seasonal and annual field programmes are run, and supported by an agency which supplies the food, transport, health and safety requirements and logistical support and oversees the science content and environmental impact of the studies. The work of the Nature Reserve of the Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises (TAAF) ensures that the natural heritage of the sites is preserved and careful managed. This enables teams like the one I’ve been part of to address complex and nuanced research questions. In addition, the programme of deployment of young researchers (lead by IPEV), has seen thousands of budding scientists sent into the field for several months to over a year, for over 50 years, has built a community of committed, methodical and highly dedicated workers in the field, as well as influencing how other domains of science evolve, as the work-ethic and strong scientific culture of the polar research programmes has its influence as these people move into their professional careers.

By Susan Waugh | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (2)

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