Heritage et AL

 “Those entering the sex industry as workers do so primarily for economic reasons, a factor highlighting the economic marginalisation of some sectors of our communities, and the difficulties of securing well-paid employment.” -  Jan Jordan, 2005. On the 25th of June 2003, parliament passed the Prostitution Reform Act on a conscience vote, and Aotearoa New Zealand became the first country in the world to decriminalise sex work. The Act’s slim margin of success (60-59) reflected the controversial nature of the legislation at this crucial tipping point. While this was a progressive step, the road to decriminalisation was littered with societal angst. Until this point, the morality, contractual legitimacy, and humanity of sex work was often narrated by a hostile and conservative media climate. The law consistently undermined the profession, and sex workers were frequently either demonised or subject to paternalistic saviour complexes. Outside public debate, the lived experiences a...

Beginning a narrative part way through makes for a confusing story. Yet, recollections of Auckland's horticultural histories often do exactly that. Prioritising the quaint Victorian garden and divorcing horticultural practice from other intersecting histories of war, of survival, and of immigration, has made for an incomplete retelling. This series of articles seeks to depart from that tradition, exploring the deep interconnection between the social histories of Asian and Eastern European migrants in Aotearoa, and their contributions to the horticultural sector. Tāmaki Makaurau was central to this history as so many of these migrants settled on its fertile land. To help readers understand the following articles, this first one will provide a condensed historical background. It will also explain the scope of this project and comment on the key theme of continuity and change. Image: " Martin's Farm at Auckland & Gt. South Road New Zealand." circa 1863. Auckland Mus...

The story of Crown Lynn begins as one of classic New Zealand innovation. Its trajectory throughout the 1940s is characterised by aspiration and enterprise, as well as a connection to foreign affairs that would last the company’s lifetime. Crown Lynn’s ascension from a Hobsonville brick-and-pipe works to New Zealand’s preeminent pottery was the result of industry, innovation, and constant reassessment of their techniques. The nascent company identified where they could improve, hire people, or find equipment that would progress their craft. And, despite all of this, it never could have happened without the economic vagaries of the Second World War. This research project looks at the perennial link between economic conditions and fortunes at Crown Lynn, specifically their reliance on economic protections. The Second World War acted as a microcosm for these forces, with a complete ban on nonessential imports facilitating their rise from one of many pottery companies on the New Lynn scene ...

Waiwaia ngā ngutu (Speak Eloquently) Waiwaia ngā ngutu celebrates the eloquence and expression of te reo Māori from the nineteenth century to the present day.  This exhibition showcases taonga from Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, including hand-written manuscripts recording whakapapa and kōrero tupuna, early publications of Māori grammar books and Bibles, Māori students’ copybooks as they learned their language in written form, and contemporary translations of works into te reo Māori. The rich soundscape accompanying the exhibition brings the written word to life and affirms the essence of te reo Māori: a language heard and spoken with eloquence. Come and experience Waiwaia Ngā Ngutu, now open on Level 2, Tāmaki Pātaka Kōrero | Central City Library from 4 September - 1 February 2025. REO HAHI Track 1 Ko te tahi wahi o te Kawenata Hou o Ihu Karaiti te Ariki, to tatou Kai Whakaora.  Me nga upoko e waru o te pukapuka o Kenehi. Ka oti nei te wakamaori ki te reo o Nu Tiran...

  Aunty Bea is a legend. Piatarihi Beatrice (Bea) Tui Yates, Te Arawa, Tainui, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Uenuku Kōpako, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Awa (AKA Aunty Bea) is one of the most gifted, clever and exceptional kaituhi Māori around. She was a force in the advocacy of human rights and Indigenous rights. Along with wāhine toa, like Toi Te Rito Maihi, Katarina Mataira, and Ngahuia Te Awekotuku, Aunty Bea lead the te reo Māori revival renaissance from the 70s and 80s. As a vital figure in Māoridom, she supported the rise of the Kōhanga Reo movement  through her exceptional creative spirit, and her knowledge of te reo Māori, and pūrākau, particularly that of Te Arawa.  Image: ' Hera and her Kuri ' by Piatarihi Yates She is well known in Aotearoa for writing bilingual books and Māori readers for local schools and Kohanga reo. Her books, including the readers, were and still are used in kura and kōhanga reo to support the revitalisation of our Indig...

From 1955 to 1959, Aucklanders watched as a bridge gradually began to take shape across their harbour. The Waitematā, beautiful and usually so serene, was transformed into a stage for one of the largest and most complex construction projects in New Zealand’s history. Those on the quiet North Shore were particularly affected. Where residents of Northcote Point might once have looked over a tranquil harbour scene to the city on the opposite shore, their view now bustled with building activity. For those who lived in close proximity, excitement about the construction might quickly have worn off, but for plenty of Aucklanders, the project’s progress was a matter of ongoing fascination. In 1957, a watchman at the Northcote building site reported that as many as 50 sightseers would clamour to the area during weekends. Much larger numbers visited on the city side. Image: Jack Kirk. Aucklanders look on as the pick-a-back span is moved into place, 1958. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, ...