“E hoa! Ka whahwai tonu mātou, mō Ake, Ake Ake!”
When called upon to surrender by the British Troops at Ō-rākau Pā in 1864, Rewi Maniapoto uttered those famous words translated into English – “Friend! We will fight on for ever and ever!” Ō-rākau Pā was sacked 2nd April 1864, the last of a trail of battles littered across the Waipā district between February – April 1864 by British soldiers. These events at Ō-rākau were largely unknown until a monument was erected at the Pā site in 1914 for Māori heroism, 50 years after the siege. Since then the most prominent memorial event was held in the Waipā at Ō-rākau in 2014, 150 years after the sacking of the pā. Local and national interest grew to ensure local history be included in the education curriculum. In 2017, students from the Ōtorohanga High School, sought through a public petition, to have local history taught in schools with the main aim to create a day of remembrance of the New Zealand Land Wars.
On the Front Porch Gallery this month highlights He Rā Maumahara: National commemoration of the New Zealand Land Wars. The flag created to highlight this event in the Waipā reminds locals and visitors of this incredible time in history. On show are projected images of the graphic novel as seen on Te Ara Wai Journeys, archival photographs and objects from the Museum collection pertaining to the 1863-1864 Waikato Wars. In the display case is a map and ephemera from past commemorations held at Ō-rākau.
For more information on He Rā Maumahara, and Waikato Wars click the links below:
New Zealand Government
NZ History online
Te Ara Wai Journeys
Front Porch Gallery
October 2022
Nau Mai, Haere Mai ki te Whare Taonga o Te Awamutu!
Join us for the month of September as we take this opportunity to celebrate, promote and encourage Te Reo Māori during Māori language week.
On the Front Porch Gallery we have chosen amazing and unique taonga objects from the Museum collection to project, and added their Māori kupu word for each item. We also have some great whānau activities to help with your introduction to, or learning of, te reo Māori.
If you’d like some resources and information about Te Wiki o Te Reo click here!
Front Porch Gallery
12th September – 1st October 2022
To support Ancestry Month August 2022, we’re showing the Queen Victoria Lithograph – a portrait of The Royal Family Queen Victoria, Price Albert and their five children. 1846.
The New Zealand Society of Genealogists Te Rangapū Kaihikohiko o Aotearoa observes Family History Month in August. If you have any interest in finding out more about researching tips, how to start, or finding specific information about your family history click the link: https://genealogy.org.nz/Family-History-Month/11216/
The history of the lithograph is an amazing story. How does a Museum in Te Awamutu hold such a significant object in its collection? Through information we know and accounts that have been verified, we now know most of its history and why it came to be here in Te Awamutu. In this exhibition we showcase four specific timeframes of events that brought this lithograph from England to Te Awamutu. If you haven’t read this story, come in today and see the real artefact today!
On display for a limited time, August 2022 for Ancestry Month.
