Eketāhuna celebrates 150th anniversary

Main Street, Eketahuna.

Preparations are under way for the weekend of March 10-12 in Eketāhuna to celebrate 150 years of European settlement. The town is having a spruce up for the expected visitors at this special event.

There is a range of activities and displays planned, from NZDF personnel to medieval re-enactments. The children of Eketāhuna School have a fun afternoon of activities planned for Friday, and family and whānau are welcome to join them.

The first car in Eketahuna.

After the Meet and Greet at the Eketāhuna Club on Friday night, which is now sold out, most of the activities will happen on Saturday, March 11, throughout the town, including an Old Boys rugby game at 2pm and culminating in a dinner at the club, also sold out, and a ball at the community centre. On Sunday there will be church services and the monthly Super Market at the community centre.

The first European settlers to arrive in Eketāhuna started breaking ground in 1873. The first party arrived by the sailing ship “Forfarshire” from London on March 4, 1873, after a four-month trip. The Scandinavian passengers comprised assisted emigrants and prospective settlers who paid their own passage. The former were given a free passage and each promised a 40-acre bush section at £1 per acre ($2) to be paid off in 10 years.

Those who paid their own passage money were promised 40-acre blocks free. The first on their sections were Mr Nils Lund with his wife and one child, Mr Anders Olsen with his wife and one child, Mr Bernt Syvessen with his wife and three children, and Mr Anders Anderson. The first business in the town was an accommodation house started by Mrs Anders Olsen.

The land, climate, size of farms (later set at 100 acres), and economic conditions in the Eketahuna Scandinavian settlement meant unremitting toil and self-denial of every member of the family, both on and off the farm, that the farm and family were kept together.

It is doubtful if even one of these farms was ever an economic unit on its own merits.

Throughout its story, Eketāhuna or Mellenskov, as it was also known, has had a proud and illustrious history. Many of the great families that established the town still have roots here today.

Of note is the fact that Sir Murray Halberg, one of New Zealand’s greatest-ever athletes, was born in Eketāhuna.

The Eketahuna railway station,

■ St Cuthbert’s celebrating 125 years

In late November 2022, St Cuthbert’s had visitors to their Sunday Service, a couple and a teenage daughter. They were from up north, travelling to Martinborough to do a three-day farm walk along the coast.

But they were not just visitors, they were special. The lady’s name was Kate Moss, her partner Ian and Kate’s daughter Milli, who just happened to be the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of Thomas Moss, the builder of our beautiful St Cuthbert’s Church, 125 years ago. They also visited an uncle who still lives in the area, Newman, possibly.

■ To commemorate this anniversary the Eketāhuna Our Town committee has commissioned a coin as a memento, available for purchase through the Eketāhuna Info Centre as well as a Celebration Gazebo, which can be sponsored as a record of people’s connection to Eketāhuna.

Come and join us for this special weekend. If you need any more information, please email eketahunakiwicountry@xtra.co.nz