Latest news with #NewZealandWars
RNZ News
14-05-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
A law change will expand who we remember on Anzac Day – the New Zealand Wars should be included too
By Alexander Gillespie of People laying poppies at Auckland War Memorial Museum on Anzac Day. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi Anzac Day has come and gone again. But - lest we forget - war and its consequences are not confined to single days in the calendar. Nor do we only remember those who fought at Gallipoli more than a century ago. This gradual expansion of the scope and meaning of 25 April is now about to grow further, with the Anzac Day Amendment Bill currently before Parliament. Its goal is to make the commemoration "broader and more inclusive than it currently is". Remembrance will soon include "other conflicts and persons who have served New Zealand in time of war or in warlike conflicts in the past and in the future that are not currently covered". New Zealand personnel who served in United Nations missions, and who fought or died in training, will be recognised, as will civilians who served in war or warlike conflicts. Without doubt, it is an excellent initiative. The question is, does it go far enough? The obvious omission, if the new law is intended to be "broader" and include past wars, is the conflict that helped shape (and still shapes) the country we are today: the New Zealand Wars. Of course, including this pivotal period from 1843 to 1872 plays into the politics of today, given the land confiscations and other injustices the New Zealand Wars also represent. The question is whether their inclusion can avoid becoming a culture war in the process. The case for explicitly including the New Zealand Wars is strong. It is thought about 500 British and colonial troops, 250 of their Māori allies (sometimes known as kūpapa), and 2,000 Māori fighting against the Crown died in these conflicts. It was also during these wars that Australian and New Zealand military cooperation (the earliest form of Anzacs, in a sense) actually began. Around 2,500 Australian men enlisted for irregular New Zealand militia units, many encouraged by the offer of land grants in return for serving. Furthermore, Anzac Day has gradually grown over time to include wars and military conflicts beyond the tragedy in Turkey, first observed in 1916 when the government gazetted a half-day holiday (later made into a full public holiday in 1921) . The government again changed the law governing Anzac Day in 1949 to include World War II and the 11,500 New Zealand citizens who died in it. Significantly, it also added the South African/Boer War (which killed 59 New Zealanders), setting a precedent for bringing pre-first world war events into the frame. In 1966, Anzac Day's scope grew again to recognise those "who at any time have given their lives for New Zealand and the British Empire or Commonwealth of Nations". This allowed commemorations to cover the Cold War period, during which New Zealanders were killed in the Malayan Emergency (15), Korea (38) and Vietnam (37). The counterargument to including the New Zealand Wars in an expanded Anzac Day might be that we already have a dedicated day of observance: Te Pūtake o te Riri on October 28, the date the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand (precursor to the Treaty of Waitangi) was signed in 1835. First observed in 2018, the commemorations take place in different locations each year. And perhaps one day, young New Zealanders will talk about the events at Rangiriri, Gate Pā, Matawhero and Ngātapa in the same way they now talk about Gallipoli, Passchendaele, Crete and Monte Cassino. But the problem is that a two-tier system seems to have been created. Te Pūtake o te Riri was not made an official holiday and has struggled for wider recognition. While there is some public funding available, it is not on the scale of Anzac Day. Te Pūtake o te Riri can and will continue to evolve, and it's focus on the causes and injustices of these conflicts should not be diminished. But an expanded and more inclusive Anzac Day, which recognises those who fought and died, would add another layer of meaning to a date long enshrined in the national calendar, similar to the way National Memorial Day in the United States encompasses their Civil War. We are now at a point in history when the injustices of the early colonial government have at least been acknowledged through the Treaty settlement process. It would make sense for the New Zealand Wars to be folded into the Anzac Day Amendment Bill. The words "lest we forget" should also apply to those who fell in the nation's third most costly military conflict. That way we can remember all of the fallen, without prejudice. Alexander Gillespie is a Professor of Law at the University of Waikato. This story was originally published on The Conversation.
Scoop
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Epic Tales From Aotearoa New Zealand's Bloody Past Explored Through Film
One of the bloodiest and most contested periods in Aotearoa New Zealand history is explored through film in a new exhibition at the Canterbury Museum Pop-Up. He Riri Awatea: Filming the New Zealand Wars stars a fiery blockbuster, a music video from Kiwi thrash metal band Alien Weaponry and battle scenes filmed across nearly a century. The exhibition offers a fresh take on how stories about Ngā Pakanga o Aotearoa (the New Zealand Wars) have been told on film. It includes clips from films, television and music videos telling stories from the war that raged from 1845 to 1872. Scenes from classic Kiwi films like Utu and River Queen play alongside clips from groundbreaking television shows like The Governor and music videos by artists like Ria Hall. Props, costumes and posters from New Zealand film history also star in the exhibition, including a carved pou and period costumes from River Queen and a film camera used by 1920s Kiwi filmmaker Rudall Hayward. The exhibition's title, He Riri Awatea, means a battle in the daylight. This refers to cinema's primary element – light – but also to how the exhibition casts fresh light on the New Zealand Wars. Co-curator Annabel Cooper said the film clips offer an insight into how Kiwis have reckoned with the conflict over generations. 'The films enable you to see shifts in understandings of those wars, and the dramatic changes in how we think about them, that unfolded from the 1920s to now. This history has been put on screen over the course of almost a century, changing ideas about the New Zealand Wars.' Co-curator Ariana Tikao (Kāi Tahu) said Māori were involved as actors, advisors and crew from the 1920s onwards and later directed and produced films. 'For the Maori involved it was quite a serious undertaking, and a lot of the descendants are very proud of that involvement. As more Māori became involved with different aspects of film making the stories became richer and different perspectives were explored.' The earliest film in the exhibition is The Te Kooti Trail from 1927, which was promoted with the strapline: 'Wild history from New Zealand's scarlet past'. Māori rangitira (leader) Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki was played in the film by Ngāi Tūhoe rangatira Te Pairi Tūterangi who knew the real Te Kooti. 'He'd been with him right through the war,' Annabel says. 'He was very emphatic about certain aspects and details of his portrayal in the film. When people saw him in costume they were really shocked at how much he resembled Te Kooti. I believe it was a memorial act ensuring that he was protecting Te Kooti's reputation and making sure it was a faithful portrayal.' As New Zealand culture changed, so did the way the wars were portrayed on screen. The 1983 film Utu is influenced by contemporary Māori activism and the Springbok tour protests of 1981. 'In Utu, there is a reflection on New Zealand's colonial past. The racial politics of the time were in a process of extraordinary change. Most of the people that worked on the film had an activist background,' Annabel said. Ariana has a personal connection to one of the clips from the exhibition. At the 2017 APRA Silver Scroll Awards, she performed a version of thrash metal band Alien Weaponry's song Raupatu using taonga puoro (traditional Māori musical instruments). The music video for the song appears in the exhibition. 'It felt like a crazy task to be trying to do thrash metal with taonga puoro. But we decided to give an emotional response to that song. When we performed it, Alien Weaponry were sitting in the front row and they stood and performed a haka to us and then we were responding to them. It was powerful.' He Riri Awatea: Filming the New Zealand Wars opens on 9 May at the Canterbury Museum Pop-Up, 66 Gloucester Street. Free entry; donations appreciated. Toured by the New Zealand Portrait Gallery.
Scoop
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Jaenine Parkinson To Depart As Director Of New Zealand Portrait Gallery
Press Release – New Zealand Portrait Gallery Jaenine has led the New Zealand Portrait Gallery for seven and a half years, overseeing a period of significant artistic and organisational growth. Her departure marks the end of a visionary chapter for the Gallery, The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata announces the departure of Director Jaenine Parkinson, who has been appointed as Head of Art at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Jaenine has led the New Zealand Portrait Gallery for seven and a half years, overseeing a period of significant artistic and organisational growth. Her departure marks the end of a visionary chapter for the Gallery, during which she championed diverse artists and brought deeply resonant exhibitions to life. 'One of the great privileges of this role has been celebrating the iconic impact of some of Aotearoa's most remarkable artists during their lifetimes. It has been an honour to present the works of Jacqueline Fahey, Star Gossage, Robyn Kahukiwa, Richard Lewer, Selwyn Muru, and John Walsh — alongside powerful exhibitions featuring artists mid-flight such as Edith Amituanai, Hiria Anderson-Mita, Julia Holden, Sara McIntyre, Euan Macleod, and Telly Tuita. I've especially loved working closely with communities on exhibitions exploring rich, layered themes — from filmmaking about the New Zealand Wars, to being Chinese in Aotearoa, to the lives of transgender women from Carmen Rupe's generation and women sculptors,' says Jaenine. Chair of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Board, Dr. Alan Bollard CNZM, says, 'Jaenine's impact on the Gallery and the wider art community has been transformational. She has consistently brought bold, thoughtful, and inclusive leadership to her work, ensuring the Gallery remains a place where identity, community, and creativity intersect. We are thrilled for her new opportunity and deeply grateful for all she has contributed.' As she prepares for her next chapter, Jaenine remains an ardent supporter of the capital's arts scene. 'The gallery ecosystem in Pōneke is doing it tough right now but I believe in its strength and resilience. By keeping the value of our arts and artists in focus, and continuing to show up in support, we can and will endure. It has been an incredible opportunity and immense honour to lead the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata. I am proud of all we have achieved together and confident that the Gallery will continue to thrive and inspire under new leadership. I will continue to remind people, to their astonishment, that the Portrait Gallery is a charity that must start fundraising from scratch every year. I remain amazed that the Portrait Gallery not only exists but thrives, thanks to the incredible generosity of its supporters. I am profoundly grateful for the backing of artists, the board, staff, and our community of supporters during my time here.' The New Zealand Portrait Gallery will begin recruitment for a new Director shortly.
Scoop
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Jaenine Parkinson To Depart As Director Of New Zealand Portrait Gallery
The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata announces the departure of Director Jaenine Parkinson, who has been appointed as Head of Art at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Jaenine has led the New Zealand Portrait Gallery for seven and a half years, overseeing a period of significant artistic and organisational growth. Her departure marks the end of a visionary chapter for the Gallery, during which she championed diverse artists and brought deeply resonant exhibitions to life. "One of the great privileges of this role has been celebrating the iconic impact of some of Aotearoa's most remarkable artists during their lifetimes. It has been an honour to present the works of Jacqueline Fahey, Star Gossage, Robyn Kahukiwa, Richard Lewer, Selwyn Muru, and John Walsh — alongside powerful exhibitions featuring artists mid-flight such as Edith Amituanai, Hiria Anderson-Mita, Julia Holden, Sara McIntyre, Euan Macleod, and Telly Tuita. I've especially loved working closely with communities on exhibitions exploring rich, layered themes — from filmmaking about the New Zealand Wars, to being Chinese in Aotearoa, to the lives of transgender women from Carmen Rupe's generation and women sculptors,' says Jaenine. Chair of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Board, Dr. Alan Bollard CNZM, says, 'Jaenine's impact on the Gallery and the wider art community has been transformational. She has consistently brought bold, thoughtful, and inclusive leadership to her work, ensuring the Gallery remains a place where identity, community, and creativity intersect. We are thrilled for her new opportunity and deeply grateful for all she has contributed.' As she prepares for her next chapter, Jaenine remains an ardent supporter of the capital's arts scene. 'The gallery ecosystem in Pōneke is doing it tough right now but I believe in its strength and resilience. By keeping the value of our arts and artists in focus, and continuing to show up in support, we can and will endure. It has been an incredible opportunity and immense honour to lead the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata. I am proud of all we have achieved together and confident that the Gallery will continue to thrive and inspire under new leadership. I will continue to remind people, to their astonishment, that the Portrait Gallery is a charity that must start fundraising from scratch every year. I remain amazed that the Portrait Gallery not only exists but thrives, thanks to the incredible generosity of its supporters. I am profoundly grateful for the backing of artists, the board, staff, and our community of supporters during my time here." The New Zealand Portrait Gallery will begin recruitment for a new Director shortly.
RNZ News
27-04-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Derek Leask, on his atlas of the New Zealand wars
Photo: Auckland University Press Former career diplomat, Derek Leask, was drawn into the stories of the New Zealand Wars when he started to explore the lives of his great and great-great grandfathers, who were early settlers. Now he has used maps, sketches and prints to illustrate how the fighting unfolded in the mid nineteenth century in an atlas. Derek Leask speaks to Kathryn about his decade's long research that reveals a complex series of misunderstandings, skirmishes and negotiations, battles and wars that shaped the lives of Māori and Pākehā in Aotearoa . Atlas of the New Zealand Wars: Vol One -1834 to 1864 - Early Engagements to the Second Taranaki War is published by Auckland University Press.
