Central Hawke's Bay Museum removes 'settlers' from name

Central Hawke's Bay Settlers Museum, which had a float pictured here in the 2017 Waipukurau 150th anniversary street parade, is changing its name. Photo / NZME

Waipawa's local museum is removing the word settler from its name and being renamed to Central Hawke's Bay Museum.

It has been known as Central Hawke's Bay Settlers Museum for more than 30 years since the building was gifted to the people to house a museum.

A statement from the museum said this year, the committee decided to remove the word settlers "to be more inclusive of mana whenua and the growing number of people of different nationalities making Central Hawke's Bay home".

The museum is also expanding its offering beyond European settlers to better incorporate tangata whenua, people of different nationalities and "adapt to the changing appetites of the community," museum patron Charles Nairn said.

The museum has changed its name to Central Hawke's Bay Museum. Photo / Supplied

"This can be seen in recent years with exhibitions such as Nga Taonga o Tamatea – Te Hokianga Mai, the WWI and II soldiers' histories, and the current Kohua Maori Art Exhibition – all examples of how the museum is being more inclusive and also expanding what it offers, both historically and in a contemporary context."

The museum will still include life of some of the early European settlers alongside local and national taonga and historic, military and technology pieces.

The public is invited to the museum committee's Annual General Meeting on August 25, 5.30pm at the CHB Museum Exhibition Hall.

At the meeting guest speaker local resident Araraina Te Atua-Tipene will be speaking about ways biculturalism can be implemented in Aotearoa alongside the usual order of business.