FOUNDING A MUSEUM

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 132, 21 July 1941, Page 4

FOUNDING A MUSEUM

.HOW jnany, -interesting articles, interesting photographs, interesting; 'arid historic documents relative to Whakatanes ..fascinating,- past have been, 105t,,, destroyed or forgotten ? We' ask tfiis in putting forward the suggestion that some effort should be made to collect them before they pass into objivion'. The Centennial "Year was expected to give a stimulous to the collecting of things of this nature in order that we might preserve for all time the links with the colourful past. In suggesting that Whakatane should start the nucleus of a museum collective we do not necessarily mean that the scheme should embody anything too ambitious by way of a pretentious building, but rather that some attempt at gathering together these relics of the old days jshould be undertaken before it is too late. The objects could be housed even temporarily in the Borough Chambers—the great thing being to take effective measures to preserve' them. We have noticed a good collection of old, in the present Council meeting room. There must be many others: equally as interesting in the homes of the older residents. If the Borough were to give a'lead in the matter, these photographs would, we feel certain, be handed in for safe keeping before they passed into the, hands of. succeeding generations who failed, to appreciate their true value. Whakatane has a past more ancient than most towns in New Zealand, indeed from a Maori point of vipw • Toi Kairakau,' whose Pah site still, frowns, down from the cliffs above the Heads was regarded the progenator tff the entire Maori race. We ate glad to note that as a result of an article appearing in the BEACON some time ago, steps are now being taken to have these earthworks fenced off and, protected. But that is not all that this, the landing-place of tfie Matatua Canoe, can afford; Whakatane has links witlj the celebrated Te Kooti, who died at Ohiwa. There must be some relics of that famous man, still being cherished by his followers., Again, what of Rua? New Zealand will not long forget the stir caused by the Prophets open defiance from the fastness of the Urewera Country?* There must be many links with Rua still extant. Again what of the innumerable Maori Pah sites. We were informed that the Waimana fort used to reveal heavy iron knuckle-dust-ers to those who did a little excavation. Evidently adopted by the Maoris from the early Pakehas as a handy fighting weapon. Aji old green stone ear pendant was traded in for a song to a local businessman last w;eek by a Maori who failed to realise the significance of the artide. The Maori section of the Whakatane collection should therefore alone be well worthy of a visit., The early days of the town itself however should be productive of many things worthy of preservation. Whakatane was a military post for some years. There are those still living who> can remember the! Kopeopeo Redoubt. .What of Whitmores drive? Elsdon Best has chronicled the past in an able and efficient manner. It is up to the present generation to take a little pride in the past, and in spite of the busy days of mod,ern commercial interests, the development of the plains, the growth of the town, give some thought to the early days from whence all this prosperity sprung. We have a suggestion to and that is that as much material should be collected, tagged and housed at once. It need not be' displayed immediately, but the time will come when the days of adjustment and reconstruction are here after the war. that this community will desire to do something by .way of remembrance for those who have made the greatest sacrifice in the Cause of Freedom. What could be more fitting than a neat, suitably designed building to serve as a Memorial Museum. The links with the early Maoris, the pioneers and those who fought and died in both the Great and the present war might well be combined, under the one roof, the symbolic meaning of which would be a Shrine of Remembrance in honour of the heroes of both races in peace and in war. We throw this suggestion out in the hope that it may create: interest and lead to active measures to bring recognition for the legends, the struggles, the triumphs and. the sacrifices which lie behind our prosperous township, in the storied past, and which are in danger of being forgotten unless immediate steps are: taken "for their preservation.