Heritage et AL

This week marks Ni vosa Vaka-ITaukei ni vanua o Viti or Fiji Language Week for 2015. This is timely as we can happily share the news about some nineteenth century Fijian language items in Sir George Grey Special Collections that have recently been individually catalogued.  These Fijian language items were part of a larger collection of nineteenth century pamphlets in English, Polynesian and Melanesian languages collected by Sir George Grey . They include grammars, primers, vocabularies, and religious texts. The pamphlet shown below is an arithmetic textbook published in Levuka in 1865. Ref:  A vu ni vika vakaviti, p.1, 1865?, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 372.72 AVUN.

Tālofa lava! Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa – Samoan Language Week was celebrated at the end of May this year. Whilst the language week has come and gone, with so much fabulous heritage content at Auckland Libraries, it seemed a shame to wait until next year to share it with you. The main aims of this annual event are to celebrate and promote the Samoan language and culture and to encourage people to speak Samoan, which is one of the most commonly spoken languages in NZ. The theme this year was 'Taofi mau i au measina: Hold fast to your treasures'. So it seemed only fitting to remember those ancestors from Samoa whose memory is held not only with their families but also photographically in the library's heritage collections. If you have any information about any of the people depicted in the images, please do get in touch - we are always keen to add information to our records. Men: Ref: EV Donald for the Auckland Weekly News, Mau leaders, 1931, Sir George Grey Special C...

Animals played a vital part during the First World. None more so that the horse. The conflict began with the cavalry forces but as the war progressed, horses were gradually replaced by the introduction of tanks. However, horses still played a vital part in the war. The use of horses varied but the United Kingdom used mounted infantry and cavalry charges throughout the war. Shipping conditions for horses were not ideal and many arrived in poor condition. There was also no return journey for the remaining horses at the end of the war. Some were given to the British Army but the majority were sadly destroyed. One or two did make the journey home including Colonel C. G. Powles’ horse Bess and there is a memorial to her near Flock House in Manawatū. Ref: Auckland Weekly News, the NZ Expeditionary Force who are now serving in Egypt, no location, 1914, Sir George Grey Special Collections, AWNS-19141210-47-1 Horses were used for a variety of jobs, moving heavy artillery, transportation...

During the First World War, over 2,000 Māori served under the Native Contingent and the Māori Pioneer Battalion. Conscription of Māori did not take place until 1917, prior to this date, Māori involvement was purely voluntary. Changes put in place in late 1915/early 1916 led to the disestablishment of the Native Contingent and the incorporation of Māori soldiers into the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion, which is more commonly known as the Māori Pioneer Battalion. Ref: Herman John Schmidt, three privates including Pitama probably of the NZ Maori Pioneer Battalion, no location, c. 1915/1916, Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 31-P917

The church forms an important part of the life of many Pasifika communities. Over recent decades the streetscapes in many parts of South Auckland have been enhanced by the addition of large new churches serving Pacific Island congregations. Some of these churches make striking architectural statements. For instance, in the Ormiston Road Tongan Methodist Church, architect George Moala used both traditional Tongan forms and traditional materials such as coconut fibre. Expert Tongan craftsmen were brought in to help with the work. The church was opened in June 1990. Ref: Footprints 03324, interior, Tongan Methodist Church, Otara, 1990, photograph reproduced by permission of Fairfax Media, South Auckland Research Centre Almost all of the mainstream and many of the smaller denominations are represented by thriving Pacific Island congregations. Some South Auckland churches hold their Sunday services in 3 or 4 different languages. Ref: Footprints 03313, New home for church, Otara,...

Pasifika at Auckland Libraries is well underway and there is lots you can take part in . To get you in the mood, listen to the Pacific Islands music playlist  that has been specially created for this festival. You can also check out the  Pacific resources  at Auckland Libraries. This includes a range of heritage collections: online resources, Pacific Island family history resources (Central Auckland Research Centre), Pacific newspapers (South Auckland Research Centre) and reference materials at the research centres . There are also significant collections in the Sir George Grey Special Collections, including a tapa cloth book collected during Cooks' three voyages to the southern hemisphere. This has now been digitised and can be accessed online and you can read about the project to track down the other Cook tapa cloth books known to exist. To further celebrate and honour the contribution that Pacific Islands communities make to the cultural mix of peoples...

Today marks the start of the Pasifika festival. 'My pride, my treasure, my Samoa / O lo'u mitamitaga, o a'u measina, o lau Samoa' is the title of the new  collection of Samoan photos on Historypin . This collection covers both Samoa and American Samoa and was created from the heritage collections at Auckland Libraries. The images are mainly from the late 19th and early 20th century with a selection from the late 1980s and 1990s giving a more contemporary focus. Ref: AWNS-18980909-2-1, bush scene in Apia, 1898, Sir George Grey Special Collectio These photos capture the timeless essence of what is most important to Samoa; her land and her people and are a good way to mark the start of the Pasifika Festival. They bring together key places and events in Samoa and NZ - from the sliding rocks of Papasea, to the procession of Malietoa’s men on Coronation Day in the late 1800s, to the Bairds Intermediate Samoan group performance at the Otara Festival. To access the ...

Updated 18 November 2016 On 23 April earlier this year members of the local Niuean community unveiled a unique war memorial in Mt Roskill’s War Memorial Park. This was the Niue Island World War I Roll of Honour : a polished black granite tablet listing the names of men from Niue Island who served in the New Zealand armed forces during the First World War: 150 men who served in the 3rd Māori Contingent and seven who served in other sections of the NZEF. Why did so many men from a tiny and remote Pacific island volunteer to serve in a war which overtly had little to do with them? Well, New Zealand had annexed both the Cook Islands and Niue in 1901. After war broke out in 1914, many local men from both protectorates were eager to enlist, some of them motivated by patriotism, most of them impelled by a sense of adventure, and the colonial administrators on the spot were keen to facilitate their recruitment. The New Zealand military authorities back home initially welcomed only volun...

Fakaalofa lahi atu. Niue Language Week runs this year from 13 to 19 October. The theme is 'Leveki mo e fakaaoga e Vagahau Niue – Treasure and use the Niue Language'. Did you know that Niueans represent our fourth-largest Pacific group in New Zealand? So it seems highly appropriate to celebrate the Niuean culture and language during this week. The language week has been organised largely by the Vagahau Niue Trust and Matakau Pulefakamotu Niue Okalana, with support from the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs. Check out the ministry's Facebook page for more information and the programme to find out what is happening near you. Enjoy the selection of  heritage photos below, which are drawn from the heritage collections at Auckland Libraries, to celebrate Niue Language Week. Niuean royalty: Ref: AWNS-19001005-3-3, the King and Queen of Niue with the NZ Premier and Mrs Seddon, Niue, 1900, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Malo e lelei. Tongan Language Week is being celebrated from 1-8 September. The theme this year is Fakakoloa 'o Aotearoa 'aki 'etau Lea mo e Hiva Faka-tonga / Enriching Aotearoa with Tongan Language and Music. As part of the celebrations, there is a vibrant  Facebook page . Auckland Libraries has a number of heritage resources relating to Tonga. This include the following subjects: heritage and identity, the Birth Marriages Death index for Fiji and Tonga from 1858-1873, traditional medical practices, early photography in Tonga and Samoa from 1855-1900, Tongan art, early Tonga as the explorers saw it 1616-1810 and the biography of the King of Tonga. Also held in the heritage collections are images showing Tonga, so step back in time and take a walk down memory lane ... Royalty:  Ref: AWNS-19000831-5-6, Mafu Prince of Tonga, 1900, Sir George Grey Special Collections

Kia orana, happy Cook Islands Māori Language Week! Running from 4 to 10 August 2013, the aim of the language week is to celebrate the Cook Islands language and culture and to promote the teaching, learning and use of the language in every environment.  Enjoy the selection of  heritage photos below, which are drawn from the heritage collections of Auckland Weekly News at Auckland Libraries and learn a few words at the same time. Tangata / People: Image: The princess of Mauke: A good type of a Cook Island beauty. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19011212-08-02 . Image: People at Mauke 1901. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19011212-08-03 . Image: The Administrator and Staff, Rarotonga. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19050810-13-04 Ngai nooanga / Key locations: Image: Post and other Government offices at Avarua. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19001005-03-02. Image: Rarotaonga harbour, 1901. ...

In recent years, a number of Auckland-based newspapers have sprung up to cater for local Pacific Island communities. The majority of these publications have been produced for the Samoan community.   The first such title was Samoana , a Samoan-language weekly tabloid which was established in Mangere in 1979. This initially offered mostly Samoan news, but over the years included an increasing amount of news about the New Zealand-based Samoaon community. It ceased publication in 2006. In 1997 the rival Otahuhu-based Weekly Samoa Post also began publication. This lasted until 2005, being succeeded by Le Samoa Post until 2007. Like Samoana , the Post included mostly Samoan language material.   Ref: Banner for Samoana newspaper, South Auckland Research Centre

Matariki atua, ka eke mai i te rangi e roa e Whāngai iho ki te mata o te tau, e roa e. Divine Matariki, come hither from the distant heavens, Bestow the first fruits of the year upon us. Ref: 35-R50, Sir George Grey Special Collections

If you were intrigued by the image of the tapa cloth book included two posts ago, then read on … Housed in the Sir George Grey Special Collections at Auckland Central Library is one of thirty surviving, individually distinct copies of ‘A catalogue of the different specimens of cloth collected in the three voyages of Captain Cook’.  London: Printed for Alexander Shaw, 1787. Ref: 7-C1922, Sir George Grey Special Collections For more information, check out Real Gold: treasures of Auckland City Libraries . Other copies can be found at the Alexander Turnbull Library and the British Museum .