- STACEY MORRISON: Kia ora, and welcome to National Treasures. Join us as we glean the story of who we are and how we got there through objects, keepsakes and taonga from the past 100 years. - This is the Bastion Point flag. - Ah! - From the priceless to the seemingly ordinary, pieces you've brought to us will be evaluated by our panel of experts here at Auckland Memorial Museum, Tamaki Paenga Hira. - PG Snell. - Do you want to try it on? - This is the moment of my life! (LAUGHS) - With our team of some of the country's most knowledgeable experts,... - Small, everyday objects often have really important connections to big events in our history. And that's what I'm really excited to talk to people about. - And my husband, Scotty Morrison, who's out on the road searching for taonga that that couldn't quite make it here today. - This is spectacular. - We're looking for the best items that tell New Zealand's story. - Iconic is a word that is gonna fill this show. Things that go to the very heart of New Zealand's identity. - And those items will be displayed at Te Papa, New Zealand's National Museum. (SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) So join us as we delve into our national treasures. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2021 Te ra tuarua. So, we're on our second day. How are we feeling? - Good. - Awesome. - Steeling myself a little bit. - Kia kaha koe. - Yep. - I think more emotional than I thought. Yeah. - And full of surprises. - Yeah. - (SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) Because we have a lot more to discover, to unlock. No reira. Haere tatou. Let's do it. - Yeah. Let's get into it. I grew up in Christchurch, and although it's been a decade since the quakes, I still find it confronting to revisit that moment. And that's why I find stories like Monique's so personally affecting. Thank you for bringing in this collection of objects which obviously speak to quite a different time to the person that you are today looking at you. - Yes. - So it would be really lovely if you could talk us through some of these. - Yeah, so I was actually sitting at my desk up until 12.50. And I know that time exactly, cos I was sitting at my computer, and I had been debating with myself the past, like, half an hour as to whether or not I was gonna to go for lunch or I was gonna go and get some Queens of the Stone Age tickets, cos they were coming to town that weekend. And I was really excited. (LAUGHS) - Yeah. - And I actually decided` I was like, 'No, you know what, I'm starving. I'm just gonna go have lunch.' So I picked up my lunch box, and I went into the lunchroom. I went from standing, staring at the microwave for maybe half a fraction of a second going, 'What's this noise?' to, 'Oh my God. What is happening? - Yeah. - The building just started shaking. (1 NEWS STING) - At 12.51 this afternoon, a massive aftershock hit Christchurch. Roads are cracked. The airport in Christchurch is being evacuated, and buildings have collapsed. - And so the building was the PGC building, which was famously one of those ones that you saw because it pancaked. And so it was a really strong, like, immediate image. - I threw myself at a table, saw a wall coming down on me. I had the table go straight into my back. - Right. - And that's where this comes into play. - Right. - So this is where the table actually went through my top. And I have no idea why it didn't go and into my back. It was literally in pieces. And I was as far down as I could be with my head on my knees. - Sandwiched. - Sandwich. It was a giant concrete beam being held up by this literal school chair. And I'm underneath the school chair. - Yeah. - And with the seat buckling, it literally felt like I could die at any moment. So that I could breathe, I had to` effectively, and it was a case of, OK, well, what can I live with? What can I live without? I put my two legs up into these draws. - So that was a decision about which part of your body you were willing... - ...to sacrifice. Yep. When we first heard the rescuers when we were first in there, we were like, 'Oh, cool, they're coming up the stairs.' But they couldn't find us. So they were on the ground floor; we were on the first floor. We didn't know that there was four floors on top of us. - Right. - And then I called my grandmother. - Yeah. - It was literally a 20-second conversation. It was like, 'I just wanted to let you know that I loved you. 'And if anything happens, you just let people know that I was thinking of them.' And then you have a realisation of, well, that could be my last phone call. - How many hours were you there for? - About six hours. Finally, we had the person who actually infiltrated the holes in the building, and he had to try and manoeuvre me... - Yeah. - ...to get me out. So he literally grabbed my leg... - Yeah. - ...and pulled. They bodytagged you. They took your pulse. They went through all of your injuries or where things hurt. I was one of the lucky ones. I walked out. Yes, it's just a body tag, but that's a statement. It's a statement to say, you know, you have another, you know` you have that chance. - That's your ticket to the rest of your life. - You had that chance. Yep. We had people specifically on my floor who didn't make it out, who were literally sitting beside you. - Yeah. Didn't go to lunch. - Didn't go to lunch. It's easily forgotten, but it is such an important part of our history. So many people lost their lives, and so many people were injured from it, you know? And so it's just reminding people of, you know, you need to live your life because you never know what could happen to you. - We're all gathered here because we love and we care and we have this deep, deep grief at the loss of so much. - I find in this role as a curator, (SNIFFLES) you forget how heavy some of these things are that you have to encounter, and you have to try and contextualise them. But also the fact that is New Zealand history, and it's recent history, it makes it difficult sometimes. - I've brought our grandmother's diary. She was really feisty. For example, she was one of six women that got a divorce in 1900. And then she continued with her life and went to England and enrolled at Oxford. - What we've got right here is the first harness that was used for the first bungee jump in New Zealand. You can't come all this way without jumping, so that's the last remaining thing for you to do. - There is a little bit of, shall we say, slightly illicit stuff here. - Wow! You didn't break into the set and steal these? - I didn't, no. - I hope Peter doesn't watch this and go, 'Hey, get that stuff back.' * (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) (INDISTINCT CONVERSATION) - Tena koe. - Hi. Tena koe. - Kia ora. - How are you? - Kei te pai. - Can you share with me, Whaea June, what we have here today? - I've bought our grandmother's diary from 1911. But she kept writing in it through the years, so we've got different dates and different times. - (SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) Renowned for her beauty, charm and ready wit, Maggie Papakura was a woman of her time, bridging the gap between Maori and Pakeha. You could compare her to a modern day celebrity. - She'd be hosting people through the village. And so, every day is, 'I hosted Mr and Mrs So-and-so, and we spent the day together.' So it's her life as a guide. She talks very casually about Sir Apirana Ngata and how he comes to the village and how they had a campaign raiser for his election. And she had met the Duke and Duchess, who became King George and Queen Mary. So the book is full of it. So I get little treats all the time when I go back and go, 'Oh my goodness.' - Your kuia achieved so much in her life and didn't allow anyone to tell her what to do. - (CHUCKLES) She was fairly feisty. - Mm. - For example, she was one of six women that got a divorce in 1900. Now, gets divorced in 1900? And then she continued with her life and went to England and married and decided she wanted to go to university. - Mm-hm. - So she enrolled at Oxford, but she couldn't go through the front door. She had to sort of try and squeeze in at the side door with the women's society, which meant that she could study there. - Mm-hm. - But she was still not privy to a whole life of, you know, study at university like the men were. (CHUCKLES) And she` - But even to think that at that time, right? - I know. Yes. - So ahead of her time and not feeling bound. - No. Not bound by conventional at all. - Maggie led a very full life, both in New Zealand and then in England, as an academic. At Oxford University, she started on her thesis, which was an anthropological study of her own people. Her thesis was the first of its kind by a Maori scholar. A wahine Maori from Whakarewarewa, an inspiration to many and to you. - I refer to her all the time, to her teachings. So I think, 'What would Maggie me do? Yes, she would do that.' - (SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) Thank you so much for sharing with us. (SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) - Oh. Lovely. - Scotty's back on the road in the South Island ` Te Waipounamu, hunting for taonga just east of Queenstown. - So as part of the National Treasures kaupapa, I'm travelling around Aotearoa New Zealand to take a look at some of our national treasures, some of our taonga, that couldn't make it on the day. And today, I'm going to experience a particular national treasure. (SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) And you kind of have to be there to experience it. And I'm not sure if I'm excited about this or just plain scared, but we'll soon find out if I have the courage to accept the challenge that this taonga lays down before me. - I'm Henry van Asch, co-founder of AJ Hackett Bungy. - AJ Hackett Bungy was the first commercial bungee operator in the world, and Henry van Asch has been there since the very beginning. Tell me, Henry, what do we have here? Well, we've got a bit of bungee gear, but what we've got right here is the first harness that was used for the first bungee jump in New Zealand. - Wow. - Jumped from various bridges in the North Island. And that started a lot of things for a lot of people. - Back in the mid-1980s, Henry and his mate AJ Hackett started developing bungee cords and testing them wherever they could. - We did the initial jumps in a parachute-style harness cos that was, sort of, the strongest thing. And then AJ was gonna jump off the Harbour Bridge, and he decided, 'Right. We've gotta do this like the land divers did, and we'll tie it to my feet... - Oh. - '...and jump off like that.' - What did you think about that idea? - Oh, you know, that was great. (BOTH CHUCKLE) That's how they had done it traditionally. Yeah. - Yeah, yeah. - The idea originally came from Vanuatu. (PERCUSSIVE MUSIC) - Our inspiration for bungee comes from an ancient ritual called 'nanggol' or 'land diving'. Originally, the women were the only ones to jump to celebrate fertility. We saw bungee as a modern day ritual for women and men. All anyone needs to do is to be up for the personal challenge. - This is one of the foot ties we used. I used it on a bike to do a big catapult between two bridges` - In France? - ...on a bike in France. AJ used it to jump off the Eiffel Tower, which was the jump that really got the world's attention` - Launched it into the world. - ...and launched it into the world. - ARCHIVE: New Zealander Alan Hackett spent the night hidden on France's best-known landmark, preparing for his most spectacular leap so far. (PEOPLE CHEER) - Holy shit! - The bungee cord stopped him about 3m from the ground; he bounced back more than 60m ` a successful bungee jump that Hackett perfected in New Zealand. French police awaited Hackett's arrival on the ground but released him after an identity check. - I'm sure they'll see it as an inspiration for the people of Paris and France and the world. (CHUCKLES) - Van Asch and Hackett went on to jump many world firsts, and their stunts introduced the world to a new breed of adventure tourism. - 35 years ago, AJ and I, you know, we realised that we had something quite special. And it's certainly been very satisfying for me seeing people jump. And most importantly is we've got an awesome crew, you know? That's always been the thing, right from the beginning. You know, we really looked after each other, and we realised that that was a critical thing. A lot of our friends that came up, we realised how, you know, how much fear they have and how carefully you had to take them through the emotional, and then the mental side of things. - Yeah. - You know, the physical activity is great. It's kind of bizarre. (CHUCKLES) But, really, it's all about what happens in your head, and then, sort of, in your heart. - Yeah. - So it's really much more of a mental and an emotional experience, having a great crew to be able to share that with other people. - Fabulous. Well done, mate. Well done. Definitely a national treasure, mate. Definitely a national treasure. - Well, you can't come all this way without jumping, so that's just the last remaining thing for you to do. (CHUCKLES) - WHISPERS: Oh, man. I was hoping to get out of that. (LAUGHS) Stunt double. Bring in the stunt double. But it seems I'm out of luck. - All right, standing up, Scotty. - (EXHALES, WHIMPERS) Now, my producer has informed me that the National Treasures budget has not accounted for a bungee stunt double. (GROANS) And so, I must face the wero of this taonga head-on. - Three, two, one. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC) (GRUNTS) (PANTS) Whoa. That was a test. That was a test of intestinal fortitude, of courage, conquering fear. It's definitely worthwhile doing. It's really scary at the start. (CHUCKLES) I'll tell the truth. it's really scary at the start. But once you take the jump, you're taking the jump forward into a better future for you, cos you're gonna have more courage after you've done it ` more self belief, and that's important. The bungee represents New Zealand in a number of ways. The main things for me that bungee represents, in terms of our Aotearoatanga, is that it's our values that are expressed through bungee. I mean, you've got matatoatanga, which is our adventurous spirit. You've got manaakitanga, which is our hospitality and our generosity and how we look after people and our visitors, especially. But also the whanaungatanga, which Henry and his staff show here on a day-to-day basis. (BRIGHT PIANO MUSIC) - Hi, Kathy. - Hi, Oscar. - How are ya? - Hi. - Hello, Heather. - (CHUCKLES) Hi, Oscar. - Now, I was told to look out for some hard-out Lord of the Rings fans. Would they be you two? - Oh. I don't know what would make you think that (!) - (CHUCKLES) You look awesome. I love that so much. - Oh. (CHUCKLES) This is the costume that I wore... - Yeah. Yes. - ...when were at the premiere of the Two Towers, and then again at the world premiere of The Return Of The King. - I remember the early 2000s. It was such an exciting time in New Zealand for the industry. - Mm. - What are your memories of that time? - So exciting, you know? - Yeah. - Wellington was absolutely humming. There were 100,000 people, they estimated, at The Return Of The King parade in Wellington. - What time did you get there to get a good place? - (CHUCKLES) - Oh, like, 6am. - 6am? - But we were late, cos there were quite a few people sleeping over there. - ARCHIVE: Dedicated fans determined to wake up with the best red carpet view. 100,000 fans squeezed into every available space to be part of the biggest party Wellington's ever seen. - The Lord of the Rings trilogy were the biggest box office hits at the time. So when that last film, Return Of The King, had their world premiere a little old NZ, that was huge. There we were, for that brief shining golden moment, at the centre of the universe. (CROWD CHEERS) - Peter Jackson! - What is this? This looks very authentic. - Well, these are actual authentic props. A friend has given them to me. He was a tour guide for 13 years. - So you didn't break into the set and steal these? - I didn't. - No. - But there is a little bit of, shall we say, slightly illicit stuff here. - Yes, OK. - And that is these gauntlets. - Yes. Wow. - They're orc gauntlets worn at Helm's Deep... - Yes. - ...by an extra, who perhaps just took them home when maybe he shouldn't have. - (GASPS) That's right. Because Peter Jackson is notoriously particular about not letting anything on the set leave, right? - Absolutely. Oh. Well, I have been donated these anonymously, so I can't tell you who it is. - No. And you can't return them? - I probably could return them. - No. - I hope Peter doesn't watch this and go, 'Hey, get that stuff back.' Don't, Peter. Let it go. It's, without doubt, one of the greatest film trilogies ever made. - Second only to your movies, though, actually. - Second only to Sione's Wedding. - Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - Yes. (CHUCKLES) - Yeah. True. - The Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival. Good music. Bit of that '70s free love I was looking for. I was like a possum in the headlights, you know? (ELECTRONIC MUSIC) (UPBEAT GUITAR MUSIC) - Hey, sis. Off the ciggies, on the vape. You're halfway there! - I know you've tried so many times to give up smoking. - And this is the one that stuck. - You're looking so good now. I can see that glow on your face and in your eyes. - Good on ya, girl! - You're a strong mana wahine. - Keep going. I'm with you all the way. - Keep up the mahi. (BOTH CHUCKLE) - Let's go. - (LAUGHS) - Quitting smoking is the best thing for your health. Vaping is way less harmful and can help you get off the smokes. (INTRIGUING MUSIC) - I was 17 when I had my first child. I'd never held a baby in my life. - Mm-hm? - And so Plunket was my life-saver and my guidance. - I love these charts. - Yes, the charts are brilliant. You just see them going off the roof, yeah, so... (CHUCKLES) - Yeah, yeah. - Well, I just noticed that this is was the year I was born as well,... - Oh, really? - ...1973, and my mum was only 17, so... - Oh, rea`? Oh. - Yeah. - Can identify with her, then. - Yeah. It's a badge of honour, as well, if your parents were thoughtful enough to keep yours. - (LAUGHTER) - I don't have mine. - Oh, don't you? Oh no. - Oh no. - Scotty does. But that's fine. - (LAUGHTER) - So, what are we looking at here, Ken? - The 1973 Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival. It's a poster done by Dick Frizzell... - Yeah? Yeah, yeah, yeah. - ...way back in the day. As a very naive 19-year-old, I managed to team up with a mate, and he had the car, and I bought the beers, and off we went for a few days. - Yeah. Good music. Good friends. Bit of that 70s free love I was lookin' for. (LAUGHS) - Fantastic. And so this is New Zealand's, kind of, first proper big outdoor music festival? - Yes. Three days; I think 18,000 people. Yes. - I rocked along, and I was like the possum ion the headlights, you know. - There was a bit of nudity, and, you know, there was drugs and` - I must've missed that. - (LAUGHS) (ROCK MUSIC) - Before the late '60s and '70s, we were a pretty conservative lot, but the hippie counter-culture really turned that on its head, and the Great Ngaruawahia Music Festival of 1973 reflected everything about youth culture that day. What do you think the legacy of this festival is? - When you look at who played there, and all the different bands... I never realised until I looked back on the festival how many bands were just starting or had started. - # I'm tired of the city life. # Summer's on the run. # - Newly formed bands like Dragon, Split Enz and Blerta got their big breaks on the stage at this festival. - # It wasn't long before the band and Mary Jane... # - When I purchased it, I think I paid $10, and it was like half my wages, and it was, like, a lot of money, I remember, back then. I thought, 'Well, I've got something I really value here ` great memories.' It's just one of those mementos from the era ` great summer, great times, great music, you know? And that seemed to be a theme through life. (REGGAE MUSIC) - Mo, I am so excited to talk about this item. What is this special taonga in front of us? - It's my ticket to Bob Marley's concert back in 1979. - His one and only New Zealand concert. - His one and only New Zealand concert. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) - April 16, Western Springs, 1979 ` a day that... even people who weren't there will remember. - It's Rastaman Vibration! - (WILD CHEERING) - Yeah! - Do you still remember the day like it was yesterday? - I was pretty blazed, you know. - (LAUGHS) - I'm not gonna lie. It's all about Uncle Bob and to tautoko him, and, yeah, we just went out and had a really awesome time. - You took this photo from the concert? - I took this photo on the day. - So you weren't that blazed, cos that's a really good photo. And you've kept it 40 years. - 40 years. - How come? - Because he's such a big inspiration to me. He led me through life where I felt times were hard, but looking back on his words that he sang of helped uplifted me as a person. This man inspired my whole life. I've a tattoo on my back from the shoulder to my hip of Uncle Bob. - When did you get that? - Two months after the concert... - Wow. - I went and got my tattoo done, and I've had it ever since. - So Bob's always had your back? - He's always had my back, yeah. - (WHISTLES) - It only cost me one joint. - (LAUGHS) I can't think of many artists who had such a profound influence on a country just by touring here ` particularly his influence on Maori and Pasifika communities and the music that they were inspired to make. His songs about struggle and protests and fighting against oppression, it resonated with people here because those things were happening here too. In that audience, there was Tigi Ness,... Yes. - ...who went on to start the first Rastafarian church, the Twelve Tribes. - That's right. - His young son Che Fu. - Che Fu was there. - Watched it from the` So, we had Carl Perkins,... - Yes! -...who went on` you know, who was a Wellington reggae legend. - And then there was Toni, who sang` the leader of Herbs. - Toni Fonoti... - Yes. - ...and Dilworth were there. And they started in 1979. - That's right. That's right. And that's why he's a national treasure to Aotearoa. We are one people. We've got nowhere else to go but this planet. So if we can live this one love together, it's gonna be such a beautiful world; we've just gotta do it. - All right, brother. Thank you so much for coming in and talking to us. - Brother. Much love. - One love. - One love, brother. Hard out. - Hi, Chris. Thank you so much for coming along today and for bringing this item with you. Can you tell me a little bit about what you've got here? - Sure. Well, it's a CD, which... I produced about 10 years ago,... - Right? - ...and it's a collection of songs about the 1951 waterfront dispute. - Right. And what inspired you to do that? - My father'd been at sea all his life, so it was always an event that was talked about in the household. He had views about it. - Yesterday, Tuesday, at noon, I called the representatives of the watersiders and I issued them what would be interpreted as being an ultimatum and said, 'Unless work is resumed, normal work throughout New Zealand, is resumed on the wharf, 'tomorrow' ` that's today now ` 'Wednesday, then a proclamation of emergency will be declared.' - The '51 waterfront dispute was the biggest in New Zealand's history, sparked by wharfies refusing to work overtime unless they were paid a 15% pay rise. - Well, we knew that at last, this was it. The only justification for a union is if it's prepared to fight for its workers' rights. - It snowballed into a bitter 151-day ordeal, which involved 22,000 union workers and paralysed the country's ports and post-war economy. - It started with a picture I came across of ships lined up in Wellington Harbour in 1951, during the strike, and it was called 'Idle Ships',... - Yeah? and I thought, 'Oh, that'd be a good idea for a song ` 'write a song about idle ships.' - # Idle ships lie in an idle port. # - So I started reading about it, and I got sucked into it, and` - Did you? You got intrigued and`? - Yeah. (LAUGHS) - So I tried to gather as much information as I possibly could. - Yeah? - The nation had just been through the Second World War ` liberties were constrained during that period; but then, once the war was over, everybody wanted their freedom back. - That's right. - And then here was the government imposing things on people again, particularly the strikers. - National was in power at the time, and they opted to crack down on the wharfies with a bevy of punitive regulations. - # Standing on the picket line. - ARCHIVE: Radio and press they were banned completely. - ARCHIVE: The only means that we could get our side across to these people was by producing pamphlets. Needless to say, they were all illegal. Union funds were seized; meetings were illegal; they turned New Zealand into a police state. It was an offence to give a loaf of bread to the wife or children of a waterside worker. - It was a bitter, drawn-out battle, and after 22 weeks without pay, the watersiders were forced to concede defeat. Government ministers deregistered the union and split it into 26 smaller groups in order to break its power. The dispute split the union movement, and resentment and friction between different factions continued for decades to come. - And those that had been in the original union were pretty much blacklisted. - So a very, very long legacy, this event, doesn't it? - Yeah, it's` A lot of people still feel very strongly about it, particularly in the union movement. - Mm. - # If only we could sail away. # - You're looking at the Sisterhood of the Travelling Wig that us femme queens in the Auckland vogue scene have passed around. - We don't fit in. We stand out when we're queer and Pasifika, and so we have to live loud. (ELECTRONIC MUSIC) * - Well, Alys, it's lovely to have you here. I wonder if you could just tell me a little bit about particularly what we have here in front of us. - OK. This menu represents the opening of the chateau, which was the fourth of November 1929. - That's wonderful. - Yes. - An important occasion. It made it possible to open up that wonderful area of the North Island to people easily. In the 1920s, there was a growing, sort of, promotion of New Zealand. The Chateau Tongariro was a splendid hotel designed on, sort of, European spa style to attract wealthy international tourists to come fishing and skiing and so forth. They started off with the classic Kiwi delicacy, Toheroa soup,... - Toheroa soup. (CHUCKLES) - ...which, whenever dignitaries came to New Zealand in the 20th century, Toheroa soup was what was... - Was a thing. That's right. - Exactly. - Stuffed milk-fed duckling with gooseberry sauce. - (LAUGHS) - I must say. That is` That sounds wonderful to me. (LAUGHS) - Yes. - And they finished up with loganberry pie and creme caramel. So it must have been quite an occasion. - It was an occasion. It was a great occasion. My father was the first ski instructor at the chateau. - Where did he come from originally? - Norway. He was Norwegian. - He came from Norway. - He'd just come into Wellington, and he wasn't that keen because, you know, he thought, no, he'll be going back to Norway to get married. But he got delayed. He said, 'Well, if you've got some nice, pretty gals up there, I'll come.' - (LAUGHS) - And he did. My mother was a hostess guide. - At the Chateau? - At the Chateau. And there were eight girls chosen to be guides. - So your father and your mother, had they met at this stage? - No, no. They didn't meet till they got to the Chateau. My mother said, 'We danced all night, and there were sparks flying.' (BOTH LAUGH) - A simple document like this is a precious message of a particular time and place, but it is also a personal document, something that throws light on Alys' family journey. - The taste list talks about the people who were speaking, the chief Te Heuheu who gave the land, - Tena korua, (SPEAKS TE REO). I heard you talking about, actually, my tipuna, and I'm so intrigued that you've managed to keep these beautiful taonga. Tena koe. - Thank you. - But aren't people like you important, those people in a whanau who take the time to look after all of these memories,... - Yes. - ...(SPEAKS TE REO) and look after those stories? - Yes, yes. - So that's what I really appreciate about all this effort. - That's what the story really brings out, doesn't it? - It does. - But the Chateau should have gone back to Maori trusts eventually, and it didn't. The government sold it. It's all tied up with the Maori side of it, and that sort of always affected me. (LOW-KEY MUSIC) - SCOTTY: I'm currently in the beautiful Waitangi, visiting our next taonga, which reflects the time that was a defining moment in Aotearoa history, one that tells an incredible story of a courageous wahine and represents the fight for justice and equality. Kia ora, e te whaea, e mihi ana ki a koe. (SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) (CONTINUES IN TE REO) It's a real honour to be here to speak with you, whaea Hinerangi, and also to talk about this very, very important taonga in our history here of Aotearoa ` the pouwhenua. Can you tell us about the pouwhenua and what your connection is to it? - Yes, with the pouwhenua, my husband is the carver of the pouwhena here. My mother, who, during the land march in 1975, decided that it's time now that the Maoris march and show their protest to what's been happening in losing land throughout the country. - Dame Whina Cooper, Hinerangi's mother, led the 1975 historic Maori land march, which was one of the most important moments in recent New Zealand history. - We are marching to Parliament, and no more land to be sold. - Dame Whina and a group of 5000 marched the length of the North Island in a highly visible and peaceful protest, fighting for the loss of Maori land that, despite the treaty, was unfairly taken from many Maori across the country. - ARCHIVE: In 30 days, they would trek 1100km to Parliament. They were making history. - Mum was that kind of woman. She was very fiery. She'd get mad at you if she didn't agree with you, you know, but... you had to talk sense to her, you know? She was the kind of woman, even as a mother to her children. So she shared a lot of her mahi with us. - Dame Whina Cooper's extraordinary vision and her tough and uncompromising leadership became a major force for change within Aotearoa, opening many eyes up to the discrepancies that Maori were facing. - We were quite used to, you know. She was 18 when she protested. And so maybe it's... CHUCKLES: I've got that wairua, you know? - (LAUGHS) - The wairua is there, and you often say, 'Oh golly me, look at what our mother has left,' you know? - (LAUGHS) Her legacy that you carry. - Her legacy to carry on the work. - The taonga that I've come to see today is the treasured pouwhenua. Carried at the front of the march, its journey of 1000km represents the mana and aroha of Dame Whina herself and now has pride of place here at Te Kongahu, the Museum of Waitangi. Oh yeah. That's it there. - (SPEAKS TE REO MAORI) - Tunga o te pouwhenua. - The only taonga that she could see was the pouwhenua. Once upon a time, you know, our tipuna, they made sure that they staked their claim to their land with the pouwhenua, share that struggle of Maori land. - This pouwhenua is a very special taonga and has not yet fulfilled its purpose. - On my right, there is the pouwhenua. It meant that this land is ours! Stick the pouwhenua in the ground. - Until the land is settled, the pouwhenua has never, ever touched the ground. It has another journey. There's still a lot of unfinished business. - And as long as that pouwhenua's not touching the ground, we still got mahi to do. - We have, yes. We have. (GENTLE MUSIC) - Mistress, Cypris, I feel like I'm in the presence of greatness. What is this we're looking at? - Um, you're looking at the sisterhood of the travelling wig that us femme queens in the Auckland vogue scene have passed around. - Right. So, vogue is this incredibly stylised dance culture that emerged from Harlem ballroom culture in the 1980s. It's lead to a rapidly-expanding New Zealand community. This scene is filled with art, dance and performance. It started as a way to reconnect with identity and community and has created incredibly rich outcomes for its members. - CYPRIS: The Auckland vogue scene is a place where queer people of colour come together and celebrate each other. - Vogue culture is real cool because, in one instance, it's fiercely competitive, but at the same time, it's also highly nurturing. - A house is basically like a street gang, but for the queers. There's the house of Aitu. There's the house of Iman. There's our house, the house of Coven-Carangi. And then there's the little baby houses that are still coming up and still need to prove shit,... - (LAUGHS) - ...but I ain't gonna mention it. We're a family. We're parents to our house, and we have 39 children under us. - Yeah. - Wow. - And they're, like, queer children and they come to us for voguing, for ballroom, as well as, like... - To be nurtured,... - Nurtured, mental health... - ...that they don't get from their parents mostly. - ...and love advice. - Wow. And they're young people? - Yeah. Mostly under 21. - So it's kind of a place to be yourself. - And you're safe, and people have got your back. - Cos we don't fit in. We stand out when we're queer and Pasifika, like disenfranchised individuals, and so we have to live loud. - New Zealand still has the highest youth suicide rate in the world, and particularly affected are Maori, Pasifika and LGBT community. So this is a hugely vulnerable group of people, and, for me, it's extremely heartening to see that various communities have ways of sticking together and emerging through that stuff. And this wig is an iconic wig. - Yeah. It's basically got sisterhood sweat in it. It's given the minorities opportunities and the femme queens. - It's resilience. - It's resilient, just like us transwomen. (GIGGLES) - I love that. - (GIGGLES) - Thank you. I'm not gonna touch this, but I just feel like I should have gloves on just to be anywhere near it. - We're blessed to be in New Zealand, and we should, like, give back to this country that's welcomed us in. * - Helen, it's lovely to have you here, and I must say it's wonderful to have such a beautiful object. - (LAUGHS) - It really is a stunning object. Can you explain to me what this is and where it comes from? - Right. My family's from Greece. My great-grandfather was one of the first Greeks to come to New Zealand, way back, sort of, 1874 ` somewhere around there. My dad sent a fleece to my auntie in Greece to help her, but instead of selling the fleece to get money for her family, she made this. So it's a New Zealand fleece. - How did she learn to make this? - I don't know, but it's so fine that with my eyes, I can't actually see the threads in it. Very, very intricate. - Beautiful lacework. - Yeah. And she had absolutely no training whatsoever. So she sent it to my mum, and I scored it when I was a bit older, and it's one of those treasures that I will never, ever let go of. - And when was this? What, sort of, period...? - We think around 1960. And at that stage, my father... Because he'd done the work with this, he decided he'd start sending fleeces to Greece. - Using wool for a high-quality item like this was, you know, a godsend for the New Zealand wool industry. - Yep. - For over 150 years, few industries have had such an impact on the economy ` and, indeed, on our national identity ` than the wool industry. - ARCHIVE: Walk any beach, climb any hill, and sooner or later, you'll find some sheep ` part of our family of 57 million. - New Zealand wool was traditionally crossbred carpet wool. Wool prices had gone up. There'd been a huge expansion in the sheep flock. And then, in 1966, as synthetics started to come in into the carpet industry, the demand for New Zealand crossbred wools just... plummeted. - (SHEEP BLEAT) - So there was a real problem ` what to do with all the wool. - ARCHIVE: Wool which must be fed into the world's markets if we are to survive. - Helen's father's idea of using it to make fine articles was actually quite an important and significant insight, and it followed through eventually with increasing use of specialty wools like merino wool. This is the most beautiful object, and you must absolutely treasure it. - I do. - It's a great symbol of the interconnection... - Yeah. - ...between Greece and New Zealand... - Absolutely it is. - ...and the shared fortunes in the 20th century. - Absolutely. It's an absolute treasure to me, and I don't want to lose it. - It's beautiful indeed. - Mm. - Our national identity is not only decided by those who are born here. Migrants who choose to settle here build on the story of who and what we are. Hi, Diana. What've you got for us today? - So, I've brought my ring along, and this is a ring that was given to me by my grandparents in China. When I wear it, it reminds me of where I came from. Attached to it is a note that my granddad wrote. He's a calligrapher, so it's really nicely written, and it just says, 'Yuanyuan', which is my nickname; 'one years old', 'blessings' and... 'wish you success', and 'Grandma and Granddad.' Something that I've always really treasured is my heritage. - Mm. When did you bring it here, to New Zealand? - Well, so, we immigrated here in 1993. I was 7. It was the first time that I'd been on a plane, and I hadn't seen my dad for like three or four years. - So your dad had come earlier, and then you joined him? And so who was looking after you? - My grandma and my granddad. - Yeah, right. - That's my granddad. - That's your granddad? Aw, and that's you? - Yeah. - Adorable. - Yeah, my granddad looked after me for a few years. We, like, shared the same bed. He took me everywhere. Everyone kinda knew us like, 'Oh, 'it's Granddad and Granddaughter.' That's adorable. - Yeah. - I think I know why my dad wanted us to come here. Um, New Zealand's such a peaceful country. - Do you see yourself as a New Zealander, or do you see yourself as New Zealand Chinese? Like, how do you navigate that? - Yeah, it's something I'm still navigating through, and I think it's a lifelong journey. One thing my dad's always taught us growing up is that we're blessed to be in New Zealand and we should, like, give back to this country that's welcomed us in. - Diana's little ring and beautiful little scrap of calligraphy that came with it serves as a gentle reminder of the richness of heritage that every migrant brings to New Zealand and adds to our identity and to our story. (PENSIVE MUSIC) - Malo e lelei, Tania. - Malo e lelei, Oscar. - I've got my gloves on. I'm not gonna touch this,... - OK. - ...but I just feel like I should have gloves on just to be anywhere near it,... - Yeah. - ...cos this feels like an absolute treasure... - Yeah. - ...of New Zealand history. What are we looking at? - So, this is my father Bill Sevesi's Hawaiian steel guitar. - Allegedly Bill Sevesi's. - LAUGHS: Allegedly Bill Sevesi. - He was 'Dad' to you. - Yes, Dad to me. - Bill Sevesi was born in Tonga, but he became the godfather of Pacific music, based right here in Aotearoa, and he became internationally famous. And talk about prolific ` he featured on dozens of albums, all with that trademark twin-neck steel guitar. Soon as you heard it, you knew it was Bill Sevesi. - Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we don't. But here, right in this circle over here, this is the one that I'm really, really proud of ` Sea Breeze. That was our very, very first Bill Sevesi Polynesian album. - What drew him to the steel guitar? Was that the flavour of the day? - When he came from Tonga as a young boy, he used to listen to the old crystal radio. He didn't know what the sound was of this particular instrument, so we asked people what is that sound that he just loved, and he wanted to know how to create it and what the instrument was. He had to make his own. - Wow. - And he managed to get an amazing Hawaiian steel guitar sound. - It's the sound of the Pacific. - It's the sound of the Pacific. You can't deny the sound. He said that he found it in a yard, and he saw a piece of wood sticking up and he said to the guy at the` it might have been a saw mill yard, something like that, but he said, 'Can I have this?' And he goes, 'Yeah, well, it's in the mud.' Can you believe Dad saw this? What a vision. - It seemed like he saw things that other people couldn't... - Couldn't see. - ...and he extracted that out, and then through the gift of the music that he played them, you know, then impacted, not just the Pacific community,... - Absolutely. - ...Pacific wide, but also the whole country. - Mm. - He was an institution in Auckland, wasn't he? - Yes. - Because 1954, that's when they started their residency at the Orange Ballroom, and that carried right on through until the '70s. - Till 1979. - Wow. Did you see much of your dad during that time? What are your memories? - Um, not really seeing a lot of Dad. - Yeah. - What I've learnt as I've gotten older is that if you're really gonna commit to something, you know, especially with music, unfortunately, there are sacrifices. - You had to share him with the rest of the country. - Exactly. He literally lived in the garage,... - Yeah. - ...converted part of the garage in Mt Roskill into a studio where Daphne Walker did recordings,... - Wow. - ...Annie Crummer did her first demo tape and recordings with the Yandall Sisters. - # Waipuna rangi. # Waipuna rangi. # - How proud are you of your dad? - Um, well... Words` You just can't put it in words. Um... TEARFULLY: We'll never forget what he's done. TEARFULLY: So, yeah. This is his life. - Yeah. Anyone who loves music in New Zealand knows the name Bill Sevesi. Thank you, Tania, for bringing this in. - Thank you. Thank you, Oscar. - It's so very New Zealand. The song Andy has that line, 'I don't know why I'm telling all this to you on Takapuna Beach.' - That made me wanna go to Takapuna Beach. - Same! (BOTH LAUGH) - You fill it up with methylated spirits and you igniter it. This has set fire to one of my sofas, so (LAUGHS) it's fairly robust. - Back in 1953, my father, Ed Hillary, had just climbed Mt Everest for the first time, and the mayor and councillors ` I think it was a bit of a New Zealand joke ` presented him with the Everest chair. - Someone with double-D beasts, massive hair, massive muumuu, walking through Cuba Mall, going, 'Morning. How are you all?'