New Zealand Fijians are welcomed on to Kororāreka Marae in Russell to celebrate Fiji's national day. Leading the Fijian contingent is Baden Powell from Russell. Photo / Stephen Western
Fiji celebrates its national day on October 7 each year and it is, in fact, a double observance.
In 1874 King Seru Epenisa Cakobau ceded Fiji to the United Kingdom and on the same date in 1970, Fiji regained its independence from the UK.
Fijians in New Zealand couldn't celebrate this important 50th anniversary this year because of border closures, so the pragmatic solution was to commemorate the occasion here.
Fiji-born Baden Powell from Russell formed a committee for the purpose, and the result was three days in the Bay of Islands recognising his island nation's past.
Events included a fashion show at The Duke of Marlborough Hotel, raising of the flags of Aotearoa New Zealand and Fiji at the RSA, a shared dinner, a pōwhiri and kava ceremony at the Kororāreka Marae and a church service at Christ Church, New Zealand's oldest working church.
The two countries share similar colonial experiences. Just as in 1840 Okiato was New Zealand's first capital but not the only one, so has Fiji had more than one capital.
Marist priests established a mission in Levuka in 1858. The king was crowned there in 1871 when the first modern state of Fiji was founded and Levuka remained the capital until 1877 when administration was moved to Suva.
The parallels go further. In Levuka's past there are shades of old Kororāreka, the so-called "hell hole of the Pacific".
The town was founded around 1820 by European settlers and traders and became an important port and trading post, populated (according to Wikipedia) with a "disparate band of settlers made of up traders, missionaries, shipwrights, speculators and vagabonds, as well as respectable businessmen".
In part, it was this analogous history that prompted Powell to celebrate Fiji's independence in Russell even if, factually, modern-day Russell (then known as Kororāreka) was never New Zealand's capital.
The colonial synchronism between Levuka and Okiato, however, abruptly ends with how each country today recognises their early history and in this, the two towns could not be more disparate.
Levuka is a World Heritage site, officially protected under the Fiji World Heritage Decree of 2013. According to Unesco, Levuka is "a rare example of a late colonial port town, which illustrates the cultural hybridity of non-settler communities in the Pacific, with an urban plan that merges local settlement traditions with colonial standards".
In New Zealand, we mark the beginnings of our modern nation state in Okiato with a fenced-off, weed-filled hole in the ground guarded by a painted wooden cutout loosely resembling a 19th century soldier.
The soldier was designed by Russell artist Helen Pick and not even intended to acknowledge the foundational colonial site of the country. It is one of 40 cutouts depicting 19th century life in Kororāreka that were dotted around Russell in 2011 to celebrate New Zealand's hosting of the World Rugby Cup.
Heirlooms belonging to one of the first European families to settle in New Zealand have been gifted to Te Waimate Mission, the historic property cared for by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.
Bill King, his wife Doris and his sister Judy Horrell are handing over some of their family treasures. Bill and Judy are the great-great-grandchildren of missionaries John and Hannah King, who were part of the missionary group that established the first Christian mission and European settlement at Rangihoua in 1814.
The artefacts include a piece of Hannah King's wedding dress, an engraved pocket watch and a four-seater sofa that was brought to New Zealand from Australia.
The sofa is unusual in that it is made from Australian hardwood, quite possibly by King himself when he was staying at Samuel Marsden's Australian mission headquarters at Paramatta in NSW prior to sailing to New Zealand.
"These items have been in the family for decades and so we thought carefully about what we should do with them," says Bill King.
"Ultimately we decided the best way to ensure their preservation was to give them to Te Waimate Mission."
The fragment of Hannah King's wedding dress will be reunited with the King family christening gown – worn by their son Thomas Holloway, who was the first European child born in New Zealand – and the wedding shirt Hannah made for John King.
The shirt is made of Irish linen cloth and is the earliest example of a European-made garment in New Zealand for which the maker and wearer are known.
Manager of Heritage New Zealand's Hokianga properties, Alex Bell, who is based at Te Waimate Mission, said the collection of very early New Zealand textiles provides one of the few opportunities to view some of the craftsmanship of women in the historic record.
"There is a tendency for artefacts like tools and timber work to survive, and as a result, collections are often a little biased towards men.
"Collectively, the piece of the wedding dress and the other garments help balance that story," he said.
The end of term at the end of September was celebrated in Chinese style at Springbank School, Kerikeri.
Students from Years 1-13 participated in a variety of activities that included kite and lantern making, an introduction to Chinese history and Mandarin, and how to make Asian dumplings.
One of the highlights of the morning programme was the Zoom session with coach Wei Zhao, who is the head wushu coach for the New Zealand Kung-Fu Wushu Federation and coaches the national team.
Students learnt about the history and background of wushu while practising basic steps and movements to three different routines. They also learnt some associated cultural etiquette.
The handmade dumplings, 700 of them, were shared over lunch, after which a range of Chinese games were introduced including Cat and Mouse, Toosh Toosh, Catch-The-Tail, Pick-Up and Chinese Ball.
The day's finale was a Chinese concert and Lion Dance from Auckland-based musicians The Blossom Troupe. The group performed a variety of Chinese musical pieces on traditional Chinese instruments. It was a once in a life-time experience for the majority of the students, teachers and parents who attended.
Special thanks went to Springbank School teacher, Michelle Chapman and school parent Vera Dong for planning and co-ordinating the event. In 2021 the cultural day will focus on Japan.
The winners of last week's double tickets to Te Moana glow show at the Turner Centre were Chloe Graham of Kaikohe and Liza Tauteka of Ōkaihau. Watch this space for more giveaways!
Wizard of Oz, Turner Centre, Kerikeri
The Stage Door Theatre Company production of the popular classic story featuring Dorothy, her dog Toto, the Munchkins, a scarecrow who wants brains, a tinman who longs for a heart and a lion who needs courage. Add a couple of witches in the Emerald City and, of course, the Wizard of Oz.
The cast features 36 of the company's youth members (aged between 7 and 17). Dorothy is played by Anneke Veenis-Pretzer and Hannah Collins. Toto is Fin Ludbrook. The director is Jackie Matthews. Show dates are Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 16, 17 and 18, with two evening shows and two matinees. Bookings: turnercentre.co.nz .
Time of Our Lives, by John Cundill
Kerikeri Theatre Company, Black Box Theatre, 17 Sammaree Pl, Kerikeri. A comedy about a married couple approaching retirement age. What could possibly go wrong? Starring Adam Parmenter, Tracy de Leeuw and Gareth Doull. Directed by Barbara Kirkman. Three performances, October 22, 23 and 24. Tickets: kerikeritheatrecompany.com
ArtCraft Sale, Kerikeri
Cherry Park House, 160 Landing Rd, Kerikeri. Sale of paintings and pottery by the talented artists and craftspeople of ArtCraft Society - watercolours, oils, ceramics and more. Labour weekend, Saturday, October 24 – Monday, October 26, 10am-4pm.
Kerikeri Half Marathon
There's still time to start training! The well-established Kerikeri Half Marathon is on again this year on Saturday, November 21. The 21.1km course meanders through rolling countryside, finishing at the Kerikeri Domain. Run, wheelie (chair), run/walk, competitive walk or just walk. There is also a 5km option with some fun activities along the way. Website: Northland Waste Kerikeri Half Marathon, SportNorthland.co.nz
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