The pair of huia in their display case at the Dannevirke Gallery of History in 2012. Photo / Tamara Eastwood.
The pair of huia in their display case at the Dannevirke Gallery of History in 2012. Photo / Tamara Eastwood.
Dannevirke’s Gallery of History has been granted a sum from the Dannevirke Fairbrother Trust to help purchase a secure display case.
Museum president Murray Holden made a presentation to Tararua District Council asking for the funding for the case, which will house a pair of huia, at the council’s July meeting.
Holden explained at length the history of the huia and how they came to be in the possession of the museum.
Huia are considered extinct, with the last known sighting being around 1907.
Holden said huia are sacred to Māori, and the feathers were worn only by people with high status.
The birds’ extinction was caused by the deforestation of their habitat by European settlers and over-hunting to meet the demands of overseas museums and private collectors.
There have been a number of auctions which have included either tail feathers or taxidermied birds, where both sold for high amounts.
The Gallery of History was gifted the birds in 1990 and they have been on display at the museum for many years.
However, in 2012, the tail feathers of the male were stolen and an attempt was made to also steal the female’s.
Holden said the feathers have never been recovered and the gallery organised for replacements, albeit a different bird.
In 2020, the female was stolen and recovered in 2022. She was brought back to Dannevirke in February 2023 by a confederation of iwi and handed over in a special ceremony at Makirikiri Marae, in what was described as a “very moving and emotional day”.
“We were extremely lucky to have her returned,” Holden said. “I know of a female huia stolen from the old Foxton museum and it’s never been recovered.”
He said when she was returned, she was in a “dreadful state” with her neck almost severed and her left leg was missing.
The team from Weta Workshop who restored the female huia. From left: Paul van Ommen, Beth and Murray Holden (Dannevirke Gallery of History), Wal Smith and Jonathan van den Brink. This was taken in December last year when Murray and Beth went to pick up the bird.
A museum object conservator was able to reattach the neck, but a new leg was beyond their capabilities, so the museum approached Weta Workshop, which was able to 3D print a leg in December 2023.
“They were quite intrigued with doing this work,” Holden said.
A decision was made to renovate the original display case, which was full of borer, and remove the organic vegetation.
The museum had also invested in a state-of-the-art CCTV system.
“We have been investing what little money we had into the huia,” Holden told councillors. “Because they are a special part of the museum and a special part of the Tararua District.”
However, recently the museum’s volunteers noticed three visitors acting suspiciously and turned camera footage over to police, who advised the museum to remove the huia from display until they could be placed in a more secure case.
Holden said they had done extensive research and found a case that would work.
“We want to keep this taonga safe and on display so the people of Tararua District and New Zealand and also our overseas visitors can see them.”
Dannevirke Host Lions had generously agreed to a grant of $2500 toward the cost of the display case, and the museum was appealing to the council for the remainder from the Fairbrother Trust.
“Gwen Fairbrother, for many years, was a member of the Dannevirke Gallery of History and took a keen interest in what was happening down at the museum,” Holden said.
Councillors agreed to fund the $5780 from the Fairbrother Trust.
