PRESERVING THE PAST

Auckland

Chatham Islands

The Chatham Islands has a complex and truly fascinating heritage, from its Moriori and Māori inhabitants to more recent European arrivals - and now a dedicated group of locals and mainlanders alike are working to make sure the physical remainders of these cultures are preserved for generations to come.

“Heritage is a very important part of what makes up the Chatham Islands’ culture,” says Jackie Gurden of Tourism Chatham Islands, which has been working with the guardians of several historic buildings on the islands. “The history of the Chatham Islands is what makes it what it is today, so keeping that alive to remind us of the past when looking at today and to the future is important.”

The first stage of the programme to preserve the Islands’ past for Tourism Chatham Islands has been the restoration of the Stone Cottage. Located remotely in the northwest of the island, the Stone Cottage is a Category 1 listed Historic Building that is a well-known and much visited tourist icon. Built in the 1860s, it was lived in until relatively recently and is built largely of local stone and wood to reflect the attitudes and commitment to the idea of self-reliance that were held by its first tenants: New Zealand’s sole Moravian German Church Mission who arrived in 1843. The missionaries made no converts in their time on the islands, but they did have a significant impact on the history and lifestyle of the Chathams, introducing large-scale horticulture, sheep farming, ship building and literacy, so the Stone Cottage is an integral part of Chatham’s history.

“The first stage of the work was funded by a Heritage New Zealand National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund grant and undertaken by Robert Caldana Builders Ltd,” Jackie says. “The work was undertaken in line with heritage protocols and included removing moss from the exterior of the building, repointing the northwestern stonework and repairing the chimney, spouting and downpipes to prevent stormwater penetrating the stonework.” A second stage is being planned and there is also a work in progress to establish a track to it for better access.

Top right: Robert Caldana doing preservation work on Stone Cottage Right: Repointing the northwestern stonework, before and after

The second project includes the restoration of a further Category 1 listed building, the ponga whare. Located at Wharekauri Station this small ponga hut is the last remaining physical structure built around 1866 during the time of Te Kooti and the Pai Mārire followers incarcerated on the Chatham Islands, as well as the establishment of the Ringatū faith.

“To date a Conservation Plan, Record and Condition Report, prepared by conservation carpenter Brent Withers of DPA Architects, and an Archaeological Assessment, prepared by Susan Thorpe of Kotuku Consultancy Ltd, have been completed,” says Jackie. “The project has been awarded a Heritage New Zealand National Heritage Preservation Incentive Fund grant to cover 50% of the project with the remaining funds still to be raised.”

Prisoners were put to work on different building jobs on the island. Among these was the Ponga Whare built around 1866

WHANGANUI TO CHATHAM ISLANDS

Experience 8 days in one of New Zealand’s most remote and unique places. The Chatham Islands are the closest most New Zealanders can get to international travel without packing their passport.

Due to ever increasing popularity and in conjunction with Air Chathams and Hotel Chathams, we have decided to run a tour out to the Chatham Islands for Whanganui folk from Whanganui during October 2022� We will be using a 50 passenger ATR aircraft, where we will have up to 8 fully guided days to explore our most eastern island before returning home to Whanganui. Pitt Island is an option as is fishing. Tour # 47 Is for 8 days & 7 nights on Chatham X Whanganui Tues 2nd October 2022, depart Whanganui 7:00am Arrive Chatham 9:45am (CI) Tues 9th October 2022, depart Chatham Islands 5:15pm - Arrive Whanganui 6:30pm All Inclusive Costing per person X Whanganui

SINGLE shared facilities ������������������������������������������������$4,725 TWIN / DOUBLE with ensuite����������������������������������������$4,825 SUPERIOR SUITES������������������������������������������������������$4,925

Make up your party now and take advantage of your preferred accommodation while availability lasts.

www.chathamislandtours.nz/contact/booking_enquiry

MERV’S CHATHAM ISLAND TOURS chathamislandtours@gmail.com +64 3 249 8294

Tommy Solomon Statue

“Tourism Chatham Islands is also working with the Tommy Solomon Memorial Trust Foundation to help upgrade the site of the statue of Tommy, who was the last known full Moriori, who died in 1933. The site commemorates Tommy and the Moriori people and the upgrade project involves installing a composting toilet, a shelter, new paths, fencing, interpretation panels and a Moriori compass.”

Today there are over 3000 people of known Moriori descent, so this project is an incredibly important part of the history of both the Chatham Islands and Aotearoa New Zealand.

Other projects in the planning stages include ideas not so focused on the human history of the islands but on highlighting its natural history. “The views over the extinct basalt volcanoes in the north-west are some of the “Heritage is a very important part of what makes up the Chatham Islands’ culture”

most remarkable on the Chathams,” Jackie says, “so we want to develop a lookout to showcase these and enable off-road parking. None of the striking looking ‘peaks’ exceed 200 metres in height above sealevel. They erupted on the sea floor in water depths of 200 to 400 metres, and the oldest is 60 million years old and the youngest is just five million years old. There is nowhere else quite like it in New Zealand according to GNS geologist Hamish Campbell.”

The second lookout is to be in the east leading into Owenga. This provides impressive views of the 35 km long Hanson Bay that stretches from Okawa Point on the Island’s northeast to Manuka Point in the southeast. Across the ocean to the east are the islands of the Forty-Fours and the Chilean coast.

Tourism Chatham Islands is also working with Massey University on recreating a replica of the observatory built at Port Hutt in 1874 to view the Transit of Venus, an event that was the first bilateral science collaboration between the United States of America and New Zealand. “Scientists from both countries came together to map the solar system during the Transit,” says Jackie. “It’s a little hard to imagine today that an event of such significance and with a large American naval ship could be held in this tiny, remote picturesque port.” It is, but then the Chatham Islands have always punched well above their weight, and by preserving the past, future generations can draw inspiration to continue that tradition well into the future.

Observatory and equatorial telescope on the Chatham Islands, during the 1874 United States expedition to observe the transit of Venus

Image Alexander Turnbull Library Collection, ref PAColl-0058-05

Important Information for Visitors

The Islands are a place where you will enjoy many different activities. Nature, history, culture, fishing, walks and hikes, photography, art and craft, isolated beaches and bird watching. Here are a few key things Tourism Chatham Islands would like you to know before you arrive.

Respecting the Local Kai Moana Resource

The Chatham Islands are renowned for their abundant seafood. Help us preserve this valuable resource by taking only what you need for a meal and purchase fish to take home from the local factories.

Please leave the paua beds for the locals. They are an important local food source and resource that we don’t want to see depleted. You can enjoy lots of quality Chatham Islands seafood on the menus here on the islands.

Voluntary Visitor Levy - $25 per visitor

To assist enhancing the visitor experience, particularly infrastructure, we encourage all visitors to make a donation of $25 directly to Tourism Chatham Islands:

ANZ Account: 06 0845 00796434 002 Particulars: Your name Reference: Donation Private Land Access and Signage

Unlike mainland New Zealand, most of the island, including the beaches, is privately owned land. Most attractions are on private land and access to them requires permission and payment of an entry fee. This must be prearranged and your host will be able to assist. Visitors are asked not to venture onto any private land without permission.

Natural and Archaeological Taonga The Chatham Islands are rich in flora and fauna, geological and archaeological treasures – for example native birds, fossils (including shark teeth), and sites related to Moriori settlement, all of which are protected by law. These also hold special value to Islanders. Please respect these by not removing any items you find.

Water Conservation Water is often in short supply and restrictions are put in place, particularly in summer. Please help us to conserve it when showering, flushing etc.