Totara Grave Marker Found
In our previous Friends of Bolton Street Memorial Park Newsletter (No. 63) we introduced Donald Mackay’s long quest to find the 133 year old, distinctive heart totara headboard from his great grandfather’s grave. The overall story, reported in the Dominion Post (19 June 07), was personally recounted by Donald at our recent AGM when he formally ‘handed back’ the Henry Preston headboard for future display in the Bolton Street chapel.

After nearly twenty years of searching, Donald set himself a deadline before abandoning his quest. A remarkable series of communications and coincidences led to success within days of this deadline. In his final attempts he contacted distant family member, Preston Craig, who thought “Henry” had gone to a timber museum in Rotorua. After many further calls and emails, the Tokoroa Timber museum suggested
he contact the Dept of Conservation Head Office. The person who answered his call (a still-unidentified chance passer-by) suggested Phil Ally who had worked for the NZ Forest Service. Subsequent enquiries amongst Head Office staff indicate no other staff in the general area of the answered phone would have known how to help.
Phil then forwarded Donald’s information and photos to Pauline Siegfried at SCION (NZ Forest Research Institute). She in turn sent an all-staff email with one photo attached. This was recognised instantly by Marilyn Jamieson, a then custodian of “Henry”, just before departing from her temping half day. The timing was crucial as this was her only few hours work in several weeks and with no forecast of when she might next be called in. If Donald’s call to SCION the previous day had been answered, or had he called any other days, Pauline’s subsequent initiatives would have been mistimed and in vain. Recently Donald learned that Henry’s 1969 destination was the NZ Forest Service Information Centre in Rotorua. Subsequent changes of ownership led to its closure following which Henry was stored at Waipa Mill until 1993 when declared to be rubbish for dumping. Bruce Jamieson, twice within hours, rescued this slab from the rubbish truck after recognising its importance. Then earlier this year, Marilyn and Bruce were planning to move home. This somehow gave them an insight that Henry would shortly be claimed back! David Dunsheath - from Donald Mackay Go to top of page

Petone
Anniversary Service at Korokoro Cemetery
As the Caritas-sponsored pilot project on how Catholic parishes acquired their land, the story of the Korokoro Catholic Cemetery in Petone has now become better known. use the cemetery had been closed in 1956 and the headstones removed, the passage of time meant that fewer and fewer people knew that the piece of land at the foot of the Korokoro hill is a cemetery and is therefore sacred land. However, as a result of the project, we were reminded that the land had been gifted to the church by Te Atiawa chief Honiana Te Puni and that the once close relationship with local Maori had dissipated. It also reminded Sacred Heart parishioners of the need to be more vigilant in our guardianship of the cemetery and of the need to keep its history alive in the minds of the present generation of Petone residents.

The outcome of the research and discussions with local Maori led to Sacred Heart parish and the Petone hapu of Te Atiawa deciding on joint guardianship or kaitiakitanga of the cemetery. A service of healing, reconciliation and commitment at the cemetery in April 2004 marked the beginning of this new relationship.

Since that time, Sacred Heart and Te Atiawa have in partnership protected the interests and integrity of the cemetery. This is especially important at this time as the major upgrade of State Highway 2 is happening around the cemetery. It has been gratifying to see how seriously the contractors and all parties involved in the upgrade have taken the importance of respecting the cemetery.

Sunday 18 November marked the 120th anniversary of the death of Te Atiawa chief Wi Tako Ngatata-i-te-rangi and it was also Parihaka day, a day of huge importance to Te Atiawa. Wi Tako and members of his family are buried in the cemetery and their monument is currently being restored. The service also acknowledged those whose names are not recorded on the large cemetery memorial but which have been found by working through all the names in the early death registers of Sacred Heart and Sts Peter and Paul parishes.

A joint Catholic/Te Atiawa service was held at the cemetery at 11.30pm to bless the newly restored monument and the other remaining monuments. It also, appropriately in the month of November, honoured and gave thanks for the lives of all those who lie buried in the cemetery. Go to top of page

Sharron Cole
Combined Service between Catholic and Maori Communities
Korokoro Catholic Cemetery
11.30am Sunday 18 November 2007

KAIKARANGA Call on to the urupa by Te Atiawa kuia June Jackson to
acknowledge those who lie buried in the cemetery Go to top of page

Porirua
Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill
Te Ururoa Flavell; Treaty Spokesperson for the Maori Party
Wednesday 27 June 2007
Kia ora tatou.
Madam Speaker, it is always a good opportunity to stand in this House to acknowledge the importance of our cultural heritage and to consider ways in which we can demonstrate that.

The Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill gives us such an opportunity.

The immediate history to this Bill dates back some fifteen years ago, when five local women became concerned about the disheveled state of the burial grounds at Pauatahanui, and set about clearing the overgrown lands as Mr Robertson referred to.

As other speakers have noted, the land gifted by Thomas Hollis Stace in the 1850s, preserves the graves and the memories of some 190 pioneering ancestors of this region.

The five local women set about a rose-planting project - connecting to the pioneers of yesteryear who had brought plants from England with them, to remind them of home when they first established themselves in the colony.  When a family member died, a cutting apparently was often planted on their grave. There are now some 160 traditional blooms, I'm told, of some 90 different varieties, which provide apparently, a beautiful tranquil space to literally take time to smell the roses.

I was interested in reading one of the comments from Pauatahanui resident, Sharon Evans, a member of the Pauatahanui Burial Ground Committee which has been advocating for the preservation and protection of this beautiful historic site. She said, and I quote:

"Descendants from the Stace family, local residents, and the Council
have all been concerned about the care and upkeep of the burial
ground because of its historic significance.  It would be one of the
oldest non-Maori historic sites in the region".

Now, the comment interested me, Madam Speaker, in this perception that Pauatahanui could be considered a "Non-Maori historic site". And it made me think too, about that comment of Fidel Castro: "A revolution is not a bed of roses. A revolution is a struggle between the future and the past".

And so the Maori Party comes to the Porirua City Council (Pauatahanui Burial Ground) Bill, acknowledging and recognizing the brave efforts, the valiant efforts of the local women towards ensuring these urupa are properly cared for. W e recognize the commitment to preserve the honour and protect the memorials to the descendants of the Stace family and the living relatives of the people buried in those grounds. Those women are caring for the future by preserving the past.

But we want to also place on record the not insignificant issue of the importance of this site, Pauatahanui, to mana whenua, the people of Ngati Toa Rangatira. Madam Speaker, contrary to the view above, this site is actually very much a Maori historic site.

While we take nothing away from the significance of this site for the Stace family; and the other residents of Pauatahanui, and those descendants of loved ones buried on this land, we would of course raise the issue of those who were the kaitiaki of this land, long before the Deed of Trust for the burial ground was signed in December 1856.

It could be, of course, that the Pauatahanui Burial Ground Committee in referring to this site as being 'non-Maori' were in actual fact meaning it was a site which is a valuable context for European history. For indeed, the location of the Pauatahanui Burial Ground is the location of the Pa site of the well known Ngati Toa leader, Te Rangihaeata, referred to earlier by other speakers.  Through his father, Te Ra-ka-herea he was a junior relative of the senior Ngati Toa leaders of his time.  His mother, Waitohi, was the elder sister of Te Rauparaha.

So far from being a site which was not significant to Maori, this site, is actually a very important place in the history of Ngati Toa and indeed, the iwi of my co-leader, Tariana Turia, that of Ngati Apa. Te Rangihaeata in a celebrated peace accord, married Te Rangipikinga, who was the sister of Ngati Apa rangatira, Aperahama Tipae.

What we know then, from our tribal histories, is that in 1846 Te Rangihaeata was building a new pa at Pauatahanui, on the eastern inlet of Porirua Harbour.  The site was ideal in providing inbuilt fortification, being protected from a sea attack by mudflats. They named the pa, Matai-taua, and it remains of central importance to the history of Ngati Toa - and to their future.  Indeed of such significance that it is listed in the Porirua City Council plan as a site of cultural significance and is also registered with the Historic Places Trust.

But importantly, Madam Speaker, the site is a very important context in the Treaty of Waitangi claim being advanced by Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira. It was at this pa, that Te Rangihaeata was forced to retreat against the onslaught of some 600 troops marshalled together by Governor Grey to attack Ngati Toa. Governor Grey then proceeded to capture Te Rauparaha and held him captive for a period of 18 months, applying pressure to the people of Ngati Toa to sell their lands in Porirua and Wairau in return for their rangatira, their chief.

I refer again to the korero, a revolution is a struggle between the future and the past. 

In protecting the future anticipated by those early trustees of the Burial Ground and the Stace plot; we must struggle to ensure that we do not lose sight of the past - a past that leads us into the future, in the ongoing journeys of Ngati Toa, and the European residents alike.

We understand that the residents of Pauatahanui and the descendants of those early Trustees would like to see the Burial Ground cared for and maintained in perpetuity. And we also understood, that the Council have consulted Ngati Toa about this process and that Ngati Toa respect the principle of ensuring these sacred burial grounds are managed and cared for.

But this is where the struggle of the revolution resides for me.

For as I understand the case to be, Ngati Toa gave particular emphasis in their consultations with the Council to the importance of this site. They advised the Council that according to their knowledge that none of their tupuna are buried in the cemetery. But they stressed that the history of Pauatahanui must be acknowledged in this Bill.  And that it is not just a non-Maori history. It is very much a Maori history - a history in which Te Rangihaeata and Matai-taua Pa are uppermost in tribal memories.

And yet here we are again, debating a Local Bill, where Local Maori
unfortunately, do not even rate a mention.

In the struggle between the future and the past we can not simply obliterate the fact that there were people living on this site, long before William Bromley, Edward Bolton, Thomas Hollis Stace, William Jones and James Mitchell formed a Trust.

In the struggle between the future and the past we can not simply ignore the reality of Ngati Toa - and indeed a rich history of association recalled by Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Apa, Ngati Kimihia,
Whanganui, Muaupoko, Rangitikei, Ngati Ira, Te Ati Awa, Ngai Tahu, Waikato, Ngati Rangitahi, Ngati Tama, and indeed many others.

These iwi all have inter-connected stories which relate to Te Rangihaeata, and to Matai-taua.  We must not wipe out their stories by covering up the history of the land.

Madam Speaker, inevitably when history is involved, there will be different interpretations, varying perceptions of the roles of key people and dynamic memories of significant events.  That is not denied.  This is the richness of history.  Indeed all of the different stories need to be told - the fullness explored, if we are to mature as a nation.

All that Ngati Toa Rangatira have asked for, is to acknowledge this history in the Bill before the House.  It is not a big ask.

In the later years of life, Te Rangihaeata, is reputed to have told Governor Grey "That the spirit of the times was for peace, and now men, like women, used their tongues for weapons".

We must invest in his aspiration, to retain the spirit of the times as a spirit for peace.  

The Maori Party will support this Bill through to select committee, to ensure that the full story can be told.  To make space for the beds of roses to sit alongside the struggle between the future and the past.

And in that way, we will truly be doing something to honour, to preserve and protect the memories of all of the ancestors, who gave life to the land immortalised in the Pauatahanui Burial Ground.

Mount Street Cemetery Wellington
Ian Bowman has completed most of the Conservation Plan, but is awaiting a contribution regarding landscaping. Hopefully we will have the completed Plan by year end.

In the meantime we are considering how to project manage the conservation and landscaping and the funding.
Mark Horton, Convener, Mount Street Cemetery Working Group, Wellington Go to top of page

Dunedin
Using Cemeteries in Education
Funding has been secured to enable us to develop a series of education modules and pilot their introduction in Dunedin schools before making them available nationwide. We are advertising for a qualified teacher to spearhead the development of modules for primary, intermediate, secondary and NCEA pupils which will begin in 2008 in consultation with educational specialists at Otago University, local teachers, Otago Museum, and other interested parties.

Napier
Vandalism

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Christchurch
Addington Cemetery History Project
There were a number of families who expressed interest in Addington cemetery following on from consultation undertaken for the Conservation Plan.  Those who were willing to have been invited to pass on information in relation to their descendants buried in the Cemetery.

This information will be included in an historical resource document available for future generations.  Information is being gathered by interviews and written submissions. 

Interviews have been completed for approximately half of those willing to be interviewed.  At least 40 written submissions have been received, some with information on a number of different people.  There has been a variety in what has been submitted.  Information includes details of families, occupations, arrival dates etc.  Also submitted have been photos of people and headstones, copies of letters written by the people buried and copies of newspaper articles referring to these people.  The interviews and written submissions are currently being transcribed and edited.  It is envisaged that an electronic version will exist to enable this to be continually added to. A similar project for Linwood cemetery is planned also.

Sally Paterson
Cemeteries Administrator
Telephone (03) 941 8646
Fax (03) 941 8877
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Naseby
Following on from a Conservation Report which we prepared for the Central Otago District Council, the Naseby Cemetery conservation work has been approved and funds are now being sought to stand-up 10 headstones in this historic cemetery which dates back to gold-mining days.
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Conservation Tip Of The Month
There is a contractor with a new machine operating in Dunedin which makes a breeze of lifting headstones back into place. It is a narrow tracked machine with spider arms which extend hydraulically to give it leverage, is able to traverse steep and narrow paths, lift large stones and is thus a very cost-effective solution. Go to top of page



Do you have an email address? If we are sending this to you by surface post do you have an email address please? It is easier and cheaper for us, so if you could reply by email we would add you to our email list. Go to top of page

Contact us: Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand, 65 Every Street, Dunedin, New Zealand. Website: www.cemeteries.org.nz        Email: stewarth@orcon.net.nz

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