A collection of Sāmoan Fa’alupega (chiefly titles)
Fa‘alupega or the naming of chiefly titles is a fundamental part of Sāmoan culture and custom, as it connects individuals and families to land and origins of their past.Read more
2013-05-29
Hillary and Norgay reach the summit of Everest: This month last century May 1953
Sixty years ago, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay become the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain (29 May 1953) The two men’s mountaineering triumph came just a few days before Queen Elizabeth II was crowned. Their feat boosted the rejoicing that was already takingRead more
2013-05-28
Remembering Mele Saiatua Lavulo (1916-2013) – a leader in the Tongan community
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 inRead more
2013-05-17
April 1913: This month last century
100 years ago HMS New Zealand arrives in New Zealand (12 April 1913) 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 toRead more
2013-04-30
Artists’ Sketch Books.
A sketchbook can be described as a supply of paper conveniently held in a folder or binding. It can be a small note book or a flamboyant colourful scrap book. Artists have used sketchbooks for centuries for recording ideas and thoughts, and once back in the studio they use these workingRead more
2013-04-17
March 1940 – This month last century
73 years ago Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage dies (27 March 1940) Mickey Savage, as many New Zealanders fondly referred to him, was the country’s first Labour Prime Minister. Australian-born Savage had arrived in New Zealand in 1907. He became the Labour MP for Auckland Central electorate in 1919. Labour’sRead more
2013-03-29
Sweden and modernism in New Zealand: identifying connections
When Te Papa purchased Easy Chair two years ago, we acquired it for its associations with modernism and with the Auckland store jon jansen. But we wanted to verify the designer. Detailed research – surveying design publications, comparing similar chairs, identifying woods – finally led me to the original SwedishRead more
2013-03-22
February 1943: This month last century
70 years ago, 48 Japanese prisoners of war are killed during a riot at the Featherston prisoner of war camp (25 February 1943) From 1942, Japanese prisoners of war were brought to New Zealand and interned at the camp at Featherston, in the Wairarapa. This camp had previously been used as aRead more
2013-02-28
The Canterbury earthquakes: a small act of kindness
12.51pm today marks the second anniversary of the 6.3 earthquake that caused severe damage and resulted in the loss of 185 lives in Christchurch and its suburbs, with many more injured and displaced. Two years on the citizens of Canterbury are still struggling to rebuild their city and lives. WhileRead more
2013-02-22
Fern stamps
New Zealand Post has just released a series of postage stamps featuring five New Zealand ferns. The illustrations are excellent. Images of the stamps, from New Zealand Post’s website. The five ferns featured are: hen and chickens fern, Asplenium bulbiferum – $0.70 kidney fern, Cardiomanes reniforme – $1.40 Colenso’s hardRead more
2013-02-11
January 1900 – This month last century
St Joseph’s Home for Incurable opens 113 years ago (29 January 1900) This home for so-called ‘incurables’, in Buckle Street, Wellington, was an initiative set up by Reverend Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, with the help of Catholic nuns, the Daughters of Our Lady of Compassion. Mother Aubert was the founderRead more
2013-01-30
Hunting henriettas on Ruapuke Island – on the tail of New Zealand’s first mice
Few people are aware of Ruapuke Island. Guarding the eastern approaches to Foveaux Strait, the 1600 ha island is large enough to appear as a smudge of colour at the very bottom of TV3’s weather map. Yet the island’s low relief means that passengers on the Stewart Island ferry 20Read more
2013-01-08
The Berry Boys – The First 50
For me the new year is an opportunity to stop for a moment and reflect on the achievements of the past year. Today my focus has been on Te Papa’s Kiwi Faces of World War I project where we have been identifying soldiers in a collection of negatives taken atRead more
2013-01-03
December 1941: This month last century
Seventy one years ago, New Zealand declares war on Japan after the bombing of the US naval bases at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii (8 December 1941) The bombing of Pearl Harbour set the Pacific War in motion. This event and Japan’s subsequent expansion through the Philippines, Thailand and the Malaysian peninsula,Read more
2012-12-28
Leslie Adkin’s Christmas
Christmas marks that another year has just about gone. Another year of change, doubt, joy, laughter and sorrow. Another year that those who have passed don’t know about. If I made a Christmas card from a photograph in the collection I would probably choose the image above. The photograph, takenRead more
2012-12-19