Phanzine Newsletter of the Professional Historians’ Association of /Aotearoa Vol. 20, No. 3, December 2014, ISSN 1173 4124 www.phanza.org.nz

Editorial Kia ora whānau. This is a special issue of Phanzine for a special occasion – PHANZA’s 20th anniversary – so it’s worthwhile remembering how and why PHANZA was formed

Here I’m writing as a participant, for I was one of a group who or- ganised a meeting for like-mind- Left to right: Bronwyn Dalley, Gavin McLean, Ben Schrader, Bronwyn Labrum, ed and like-employed historians Graham Butterworth, Helen Walter and David Grant at the first PHANZA and researchers in 1993 to con- Annual General Meeting. sider forming an association to represent our views. rate; the intricacies of producing association that would act as a We were not using the term commissioned history or work- lobby group on behalf of pro- ‘public history’ to define our- ing in the politicised and judicial fessional historians – a form of selves, but we knew the issues environment of Treaty claims; ‘industrial advocacy’ is how we occupying us – historians at the and the challenges of preserving saw it – but also one that knew the Department of Internal Affairs, built heritage. particularities facing those work- the Waitangi Tribunal and associ- From that initial meeting, a ing in our sector. We were not ated research organisations, and small working group came to- especially interested in following self-employed scholars – were gether – myself, Helen Walter, some of the Australian public often quite different from those Tony Nightingale, and for a time, history groups which set tight cri- facing our university colleagues. Michael Belgrave and Buddy teria about standards of historical There were employment and taxa- Mikaere – to explore what form scholarship or which closely tion matters and the difficulties an association could take, and guarded the meaning of of being paid at a professional what it would do. We wanted an ►► continues over page

INSIDE 1 Editorial 8 History in motion: Jock Phillips 2 Editor’s note 12 Oral history defined, and redefined 3 Te Ara: the journey continues 14 Heritage – the past 10 years PO Box 1904, Thorndon, 4 Commemorative history 16 New PHANZA committee members 6 Writing institutional history

Phanzine December 2014 1 ►► continued from page 1 country in a way we never envisaged, and of course, ‘historian’. The range of historians working in New technological changes influence the way we oper- Zealand and the breadth of work produced for dif- ate as an Association. The ground of public history ferent purposes would make any ‘policing’ role both changes all the time. Major historical projects have difficult and undesirable. come and gone; so too, sadly, have public history In 1994, an interim committee set about prepar- programmes in universities; new ventures have ap- ing a draft constitution and rules, and in December peared (Te Papa) or existing ones expanded (Auck- that year, 38 locally-based historians met in PSA land Museum); the Treaty claims process continues; House, Wellington, to establish PHANZA. Gavin built heritage remains at risk; commemorative McLean called for someone to move the association events keep on keeping on. PHANZA still has work be formed; Jock Phillips did the honours, seconded to do in representing the interests of our practice by Graham Butterworth. PHANZA’s first committee and keeping the professional profile of history high. got on with the job of representing the interests of And here I want to thank everyone who has been professional historians – providing advice, lobby- involved in making this happen, from the first ing, working to raise the profile of history, acting as members of the working party and interim commit- a network and generally keeping the public history tee back in 1993–94, right through all the committee community informed of relevant matters. Within a members since. So many people have freely given year, membership had grown to close to 100 mem- their time and energy to run the organisation or bers and Phanzine appeared. do the newsletter, organise conferences, represent The rest, as we say, is public history. There were the interests of members, provide references, attend some teething problems, of course, attendant upon meetings and many, many other things besides. the emergence of any new organisation or the devel- Thanks, too, to our ‘base’, first at the Department opment of new forms of historical practice. There of Internal Affairs and then the Ministry for Culture were questions about the use of the term ‘profes- and Heritage, which have provided places to meet sional’ in our title, and what ‘public history’ meant. and other forms of support from time to time. Debates about such issues were vital steps in the The biggest acknowledgement goes to you, the development both of PHANZA and of the practice of members, who have supported the organisation. We public history in New Zealand, and they forced the have many members who have been with us since association (and many practitioners) to think deeply Day One (and some who were on those early groups about what we did and what we represented. as well), and others who have joined more recently. Twenty years on, the Association remains in fine Thanks to one and all. fettle. The membership base is spread through the — Bronwyn Dalley, PHANZA President

Editor’s note Merry Christmas from your Phanzine editor! For this twentieth-anniversary issue of Phanzine, I’ve asked a number of PHANZA members to reflect on different aspects of public history in Aotearoa New Zealand today. So we have articles on oral history, commemorations, writing institutional history, and protection of heritage places. I hope to run more such articles next year, as we continue to reflect on the state of public history in PHANZA’s 20th year. The centrepiece of this issue is a tribute by David Young to Jock Phillips, the inaugural recipient of a life membership of PHANZA at our 2014 Annual General Meeting. David profiles Jock’s long involve- ment with public history in New Zealand, and draws on the words of others to explain the nature and extent of Jock’s contribution. Happy reading, and happy 20th birthday, PHANZA! — Ewan Morris, Phanzine editor

2 Phanzine December 2014 The team that will be continuing to work on Te Ara. Left to right: Kerryn Pollock, Caren Wilton, Nancy Swarbrick, Emily Tutaki and Melanie Lovell-Smith. (Photo: Philothea Flynn)

Te Ara: the journey continues Nancy Swarbrick from Te Ara – the online Encyclopedia of New Zealand – reports on the end of one phase of Te Ara’s life and the start of a new one

The last weeks of October were received a fitting send-off. In information, and a place to ex- bittersweet for those of us work- addition Janine Faulknor, Ross plore fascinating and illuminat- ing on Te Ara. On the sweetness Somerville, Helen Rickerby, ing images, interactives, sound side of the ledger, we had the great Andy Palmer, Philothea Flynn and film clips. The good news is satisfaction of launching our final and Angela Mitchell came to the that Te Ara will continue to flour- theme – Creative and Intellectual end of their contracts and were ish and grow! A small team of us Life – which explores the many farewelled with tears, laughter who have worked on building the facets of New Zealand creativity. and song – as well as a drink or site are staying on to ensure that This dazzling occasion brought to two. Back in September, too, we the content is maintained and a close the work on the ‘first build’ bid adieu to Marguerite Hill, who kept up to date (as much as is pos- of Te Ara, the world’s first born- took up the role of curator human sible with such a huge website). digital encyclopedia. The project history at Canterbury Museum. We also plan to develop it with was conceived and driven by Jock Thank you all for sharing your new entries and resources that Phillips, who much to our delight amazing skills, your commitment will reflect the changing face of was honoured in October for this and your friendship over the past New Zealand. and his other ground-breaking in- years – your work for Te Ara will The new team members (several tellectual work by the 2014 Prime live on. of them also PHANZA members!) Minister’s Award for Literary Many people throughout and are: Achievement for non-fiction. beyond New Zealand have con- ¶¶Myself – Nancy Swarbrick. I While celebrating these tri- tributed to the making of Te Ara, joined Te Ara as managing edi- umphs, we have had the sadness and many more have found it tor in 2002, and was tasked with of saying goodbye to colleagues. a helpful starter for research, a organising and keeping track of Jock retired in October, and rich source of useful facts and ►► continues over page

Phanzine December 2014 3 ►► continued from page 3 schedules and workflow, but I’ve Commemorative history also had the pleasure of writing some of the entries. Many PHANZA members are currently involved with ¶¶Kerryn Pollock, a brilliant activities relating to the First World War centenary. researcher and writer (and latterly, also a resource researcher) who Neill Atkinson (Chief Historian, Ministry for Culture joined Te Ara in 2008. and Heritage) considers the role of commemoration ¶¶Melanie Lovell-Smith, who has been the doyenne of resource twenty years ago and today. (image, video etc) research since 2003, bringing her creativity Twenty years ago PHANZA was – has been revolutionised by the to every theme, and who is also founded as a voice for profes- digitisation of material held in renowned for her technical sional historians at a time when museums, libraries and archives. expertise. public history was coming of age In recent years much of this ¶¶Emily Tutaki, who has been in New Zealand. Alongside the work has focused on the upcom- with us since 2007, and whose Treaty settlement process, the ing First World War centenary. knowledge of things Māori has expansion of history-making Resources such as Archives NZ’s enriched the many entries she outside universities was in part personnel files and Auckland Mu- has resourced. driven by a ‘season’ of anniversa- seum’s Cenotaph database, as well ¶¶Caren Wilton, a production edi- ries. The sesquicentennial in 1990 as the broader treasures of Papers tor since 2006, who is known for (the year the first volume of the Past, have made it much easier her eagle eye for detail and her Dictionary of New Zealand Biogra- for New Zealanders to trace their wonderful way with words. phy appeared), the 1993 women’s ancestors’ war experiences. Basil Keane, director of Māori suffrage centenary, and publica- digital projects at Manatū Taonga tions marking the centenaries of The practice of (the Ministry for Culture and a number of government depart- Heritage), will watch over the ments and national organisations historical research – Māori content on Te Ara, and we combined to provide employment for professionals and will be supported by our highly- opportunities for many historians skilled colleagues in the Web and recent graduates. enthusiasts alike – has Team, led by Matthew Oliver. We are now entering another been revolutionised by the They include designers Kristy busy commemoration season. Mayes, Julia Vodanovich and 2015 sees milestones ranging digitisation of material Dean Johnston, who have created from the 175th anniversary of held in museums, libraries many of our lovely maps, graphs the Treaty and the 150th of Wel- and interactives down the years. lington’s status as capital city to and archives. We look forward to travelling the fifth anniversary of the first of with you further along te ara – the Canterbury’s earthquakes. Sub- pathway to knowledge about all sequent years will see the 125th I discovered this myself ear- aspects of New Zealand life. anniversary of suffrage (2018) lier this year, when preparing to A version of this article appeared and the ‘sestercentennial’ (250th visit battle sites and cemeteries in originally on Te Ara’s blog, Sign- anniversary) of Cook’s arrival in France and Belgium. My family posts. Incidentally, check out 2019. Looming over everything, didn’t know much about my three Nancy’s entry on ‘Public history’ in of course, is the centenary of great-great uncles – Albert, Frank Te Ara’s recently-launched theme the First World War, a complex and Tom – or my great-great aunt’s on Creative and Intellectual Life. beast with a duration, emotional fiancé, Jim, who are all buried or appeal and international profile commemorated in France. They perhaps unmatched by any other are just a handful of the more than commemoration. 7,000 New Zealanders commemo- During the two decades of rated in that country’s numerous PHANZA’s existence the practice Commonwealth war cemeteries. of historical research – for pro- Frank, a station hand who had fessionals and enthusiasts alike married just before sailing to war,

4 Phanzine December 2014 given the grim harvest of ammu- nition, objects and human re- mains that is unearthed from the fields of Flanders and the Somme each year. Half a world away, and a cen- tury on, New Zealanders often seem less sure what to make of it all. Some cling to the myths of a national identity forged in the fire, but historians keep picking holes in that one. Others warn, rightly, of the risks of glorification and triumphalism, the twisting of the past to legitimise modern military adventures. While New Zealand has (so far) avoided those excesses, commemorations typi- cally default to the traditional: red poppies and white crosses, Binyon and Kipling, the Last Post and Lord’s Prayer. If repeated unthink- ingly, these rituals risk becoming clichés that stifle debate rather than encourage fresh perspec- tives. As a recent Dominion Post editorial noted, pledges of re- membrance ‘are not just pieties to recite’ but ‘wisdom won from the worst kind of human madness.’ We can also learn from other societies, not least Germany, Graves of unknown soldiers, the Somme (photo by Neill Atkinson) where the Great War – long overshadowed by the even greater and Tom, a 39-year-old, unmarried As digitised collections reveal, ‘human madness’ of the Second wharf labourer, died of wounds on stories like these are all too com- World War and Holocaust – is cur- the Somme within days of each mon and were repeated across rently the focus of much interest. other in September 1916. Albert, much of the world. It can be hard Unsurprisingly, war remembrance a gardener who volunteered after to comprehend the statistics there eschews the heroism and his older brother’s death, survived and scale of the Great War, but nationalism that often dominates Passchendaele but later died of each story represents the experi- in English-speaking countries. pneumonia. Jim (himself wound- ences of real people, caught up Germany’s commemorative con- ed on the Somme) was one of more in one of the last century’s great versation emphasises the shared than a hundred New Zealanders catastrophes. It is not some- experience of war, the lessons of killed during the liberation of Le thing to celebrate, but it is worth history and how a century’s hard- Quesnoy, just seven days from remembering. earned wisdom can be applied to the end of the war. Seventy years The French and Belgians cer- present-day problems. So should later my great-great aunt, Chrissie, tainly remember; the gratitude ours. To paraphrase historian recalled hearing the news of her shown towards New Zealanders Hew Strachan’s comments about fiancé’s death: ‘I didn’t cry. I was in Le Quesnoy, for example, can Britain and Remembrance Sun- just frozen inside.’ She never mar- be difficult to understand today. day, if New Zealand’s centenary ried – one of many thousands of But then the memory of the world commemorations are no more New Zealanders whose lives were wars remains close to the surface than Anzac Day ‘writ large’, we forever changed by war. in these countries – quite literally, will have failed.

Phanzine December 2014 5 Writing institutional history – some reflections Margaret Tennant argues that writing commissioned histories of institutions is not an exercise in ‘public relations with footnotes’.

‘So you’re off to write hagiography!’ was one response open access to the institution’s own archive, when to my departure from a university position to start it has one. There is an expectation of illustrations writing a commissioned history of the New Zealand and the pleasure of engaging with this line of story- Red Cross. telling, and of adjusting the main text accordingly Behind the statement was the implication that a (thank you, Jock Phillips, for pointing out in the commissioned history of an institution would be 1990s the need for historians to refine their skills in an exercise in promotion and puffery; that I was caption-writing, and to see captions as more than a being paid to present the commissioning body and hurried afterthought to the main text). There is the its history in a good light rather than through the place for the personal, and for the telling anecdote. independent exercise of my own evidence-based And there is the joy of being able to concentrate on a judgement; perhaps, too, that this was a lesser form single project for the time of the commission with- of history than that which I had practised as an out the pressing institutional demands of academic academic. It caused me at the time to reflect upon employment. paymasters and their requirements, and about the Susan Butterworth more than ably refuted the mis- constraints and freedoms in the writing process for conception that commissioned history is ‘little more historians in academic as well as professional history than PR with footnotes’ in the ‘Thoughts of a Feral contexts. Historian’, her astute chapter in Jock Phillips’ and After all, there are constraints around the writing Bronwyn Dalley’s 2001 Going Public. Her comments of history in academic contexts, for there are pay- on what it is to be a professional and the obligations masters and time frames there as well. The quantifi- around meeting clients’ requirements alongside cation of outputs and expectations around constancy sound and ethical historical practice are as valid now of productivity is increasingly current. Time frames as they were then, and do not need repeating. Much matter – the leisurely production of a book over ten depends upon understandings which need to be years does not fit Performance-Based Research Fund made clear at the time of agreeing on a contract, and reporting cycles. There is the growing hegemony of on continuing communication. I have always sent the internationally-published, refereed article, in off draft chapters as they were written, so that there which one has to justify to an audience in the United would be no surprises at the end – and carefully file States or elsewhere why they should want to know positive responses received along the way. about New Zealand history, and then explain, in My own past experience of writing a history of simplified terms, details which an informed local au- the children’s health camps movement in the early dience would take for granted. There is the formula 1990s was made easier because the History Group of in which you engage with the current literature and the Department of Internal Affairs (as it was then) situate your own piece as part of a scholarly conver- was an intermediary. I was dealing upfront with sation (at best), or as a rejection of a past interpreta- other historians, and the pathway to completion was tion (revisionism ranging from the nit-picking or very smooth. In my current commission, I am deal- ambitiously crude, to the brilliant). ing directly with the organisation, under a 17-page On the other hand, there are freedoms in writ- contract (based, nonetheless, on all the elements I ing institutional histories, even on a commissioned suggested). I have yet to find out whether my current basis. There are certain expectations about what will manuscript is acceptable to the commissioning body, be there: the lists of office holders, the ‘foundation but since all chapters have been read along the way moments’ (not always straightforward), often the dis- by the Red Cross contact person, I have no reason to cussion of matters which will not be of great interest anticipate otherwise. beyond the organisation’s own constituency. There Feedback has been useful – it is easy to misread is the tight time frame required. But there is also the the codes of an organisation, or to be unaware of the sense of identification and ownership and real inter- interpersonal conflicts underlying the increasingly est, which is a plus far more than it is a negative. bland, formulaic and skeletal minutes and docu- There is often (hallelujah!) a historian’s free and ments of more recent times (oh for the days of the

6 Phanzine December 2014 Red Cross helpers packing cases for Niue Island. Negatives of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1959/0885-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand

shorthand-typist, whose draft minutes record word There are also many ways of telling the same for word the contested pathways to a decision). That story for different audiences, and I certainly plan said, there may be many subtle ways of framing an to write follow-up academic articles which reframe issue in one’s text, none actually wrong or mislead- my research materials in different analytical forms. ing, all supported by the record – but the tone and Knowing this makes it easier to ‘let go’ at the various choice of a single word can make such a difference! points where cutting is necessary. The broad over- I’ve always found it useful to revisit Michael King’s view of the commissioned history ranging over one reflections on the writing of his Sargeson biography, hundred years draws upon one set of skills: it throws and the notion of ‘compassionate truth’, which can up the detailed topics for later drilling down and equally be applied to the ‘biography’ of an institu- analysis in the form of the focused article. Writers tion and the people associated with it. This is far of public history are used to versatility and variety from writing ‘hagiography’, but it does allow for nu- of output, and my last two years as a full-time public ance and a wariness of the cheap shot. historian have been a privilege and a delight.

Phanzine December 2014 7 Jock listens to speakers at his life membership award ceremony, following the 2014 PHANZA AGM. One of the speakers, Chris Maclean, is to Jock’s right. (Photo: Karen Astwood) History in motion: Jock Phillips David Young presents a tribute to the career of Jock Phillips, who received PHANZA’s inaugural life membership at this year’s PHANZA AGM

Jock Phillips has carved out a career over five dec- and now, in the words of his friend, Chris Maclean, ades of working in history that has helped to shape ‘radicalised’, Jock was determined to advance New significantly the way in which New Zealand history Zealand’s cultural and public history. This he has is practised and observed today. It is a pathway that done, working as a public historian and intellectual could never have been planned, though in hindsight for decades in a country that has always been a cold it appears seamless and purposeful. Jock himself, at climate for those who like to ponder, debate and this year’s PHANZA life membership award ceremo- think out loud. Two years after his return to New ny, put it all down with typical modesty to ‘being in Zealand, Robert Muldoon became Prime Minister – a the right place at the right time.’ conservative and combative anti-intellectual popu- Jock went to the United States as a Fulbright Schol- list if ever we had one. ar, graduating MA and PhD in history from Harvard However, in many ways Muldoon’s era represented University in 1978. His time in America (1968–1973) politically and socially what American poet Wal- coincided with fierce anti-Vietnam War protests (and lace Steven has called ‘the final no before the yes’. even more fierce responses from the authorities), Michael King had just published his exceptional Te the flowering of the counter-culture and the radical Puea: A Life, while the Christchurch United Women’s George McGovern Democratic Presidential cam- Convention and the occupation of Bastion Point paign, on which he worked. were not only staged but thoroughly reported and Returning home to a job at Victoria University, debated.

8 Phanzine December 2014 Jock’s democratic interest in getting ideas out to decision-maker: ‘Since the days of establishing the a wide audience was already evident. His thought- Stout Centre Jock has been respected as an effective ful, occasional guest editorials appeared in the then decisive leader, always open to suggestion, yet never widely-read Listener. Jock’s progressive thinking balking at making decisions and taking responsibil- brought a generational shift in tone from editor Ian ity for them.’ Cross’s conservative nationalism. In her tribute to Jock at the PHANZA presenta- Throughout his career Jock continued to think tion, Anne Else referred to the role he has played as a – and jump – outside the square. Three major ac- supporter and enabler for public history and public complishments stand out: his roles as founder of the historians in New Zealand. ‘Confidence boosting has Stout Research Centre, as Chief Historian at the His- been one of the strongest features of Jock’s work,’ she tory Branch (then part of the Department of Internal said. ‘He’s gone out of his way to make people like Affairs), and as the general editor of Te Ara, New me think that what we are doing matters. The energy Zealand’s outstanding online encyclopaedia. and enthusiasm with which he has done these things In each role he displayed skills not only as an are bound up with his own splendidly broad, inclu- historian, but as a negotiator and administrator. He sive view of what “history” means.’ established the Stout Research Centre in 1984 at Anne, who edited the suffrage centennial publica- Victoria University, again dismissing his achieve- tion Women Together under Jock at History Branch, ment as being all about timing: ‘We had a new Vice- noted, ‘To mix war and cricketing metaphors, Jock Chancellor from a prestigious German university repeatedly went in to bat for us on sticky wickets, and who announced that he wanted to be able to look out took a great deal of dreadfully sexist flak when crises from his office window and see a series of research threatened.’ institutes in the row of old houses along Wai-te-ata Later, as Conceptual Leader he helped shape the Road. The next morning I went to his office and told National Museum’s controversial shift into what him, “I have a proposition for you”.’ The Stout Cen- became Te Papa. He then moved from the position tre’s purpose as a place for the study of New Zealand of Chief Historian in the History Branch to General society, history and culture, with a wide mix of schol- Manager Heritage before taking up this position in ars and a public seminar programme, still remains. 2000 in the new Ministry for Culture and Heritage Among the scholars Jock invited to the Stout were (MCH). At MCH he subsequently took up the role he had been instrumental in creating, as general editor ‘To mix war and cricketing of Te Ara. Of his tenure at Te Ara, Jock has said it was a great metaphors, Jock repeatedly went job where, ‘I just choose the people and they get on in to bat for us on sticky wickets, with the job – there is never any problem. They’re a great team to work with.’ Jock saw the project through and took a great deal of dreadfully from the start to the completion of Te Ara’s final sec- sexist flak when crises threatened.’ tion just before his retirement from MCH in October 2014. A number of books have emerged from Te Ara. Perhaps the one that best attests to his considerable historian Judith Binney (Redemption Songs) and determination was Māori Peoples of New Zealand: Ngā ecologist Geoff Park Ngā( Uruora). It was designed Iwi o Aotearoa. In it, iwi from 45 different regions to pollinate the university and its scholars with new were persuaded to contribute essays on their origins ideas while also delivering greater outreach to local and whakapapa – a huge and entirely unprecedented and national audiences. The conference Te Whenua achievement. Of this work Jock says, ‘I decided early te Iwi – The Land and the People, whose proceedings on that we needed to establish from the start the were published in 1987, remains a proud endeavour credibility of Te Ara with the Māori community, from that time: ‘It was a cracker and was designed to and that it would be nice to introduce everyone in contrast Māori and Pākehā attitudes to the land. We the country to everyone else. Hence the first theme got some great people involved – Keri Hulme, Rang- was on the peoples of New Zealand – the immigrant inui Walker, Eddie Durie, Bob Mahuta, Aila Taylor, groups and the major iwi.’ Roger Horrocks, Alistair Graham, Geoff Park, Francis His essay ‘History and the New Media’ in Go- Pound et al.’ ing Public: The Changing Face of New Zealand History, Former Chief Archivist Ray Grover, himself a capa- which he co-edited with Bronwyn Dalley, shows ble administrator, notes Jock’s skill as a planner and his deft grasp of the challenges and vicissitudes of

Phanzine December 2014 9 ◄◄ Left to right: Megan Hutching, Jock Phillips, Minister of Internal Affairs Graeme Lee, Raewyn Dalziel and Bronwyn Labrum at the launch of guides to oral history and women’s history, National Archives, 1993. (Photo: History Group, Ministry for Culture and Heritage)

getting history across to a popular audience. Al- Jock’s origins in Christchurch were privileged, yet though many were involved in its development and also tempered by democratising influences. His fa- execution, the wonderful television series, Frontier ther, Neville Phillips, though from a desperately poor of Dreams, a New Zealand History was another project working class family in Palmerston North, became Jock helped husband into being. an admired historian and then Vice-Chancellor Jock has also had his own writing projects along- of the . A highly effective side this other work. With his tramping mate Chris administrator, his desk, I recall, was as clean as a Maclean, he produced a book on stained glass and whistle. If you crossed him – as student editors at another on war memorials in New Zealand. Both that time did – his anger was like ice. But then, he did books attest to his sense of built heritage as well as get the short straw, serving through that social and history. Chris said in his tribute at the PHANZA political seismicity of the late ’60s and early ’70s. presentation: It was through his mother, to whom he was much closer, that Jock drew his love of the land. She was The journeys I made with Jock were rewarding. well-born, from a Hawkes Bay sheep station, Te With his inquiring mind and great knowledge Aratipi, just inland from Waimarama, on the Marae- of New Zealand history, the towns and cities we totara. Jock was able to travel up to the farm in visited came alive. Every day was full of humour, school holidays. Here in the rough-and-tumble of interest and learning. We interspersed sessions mustering and shearing sheds, of animal husbandry of searching for glass windows with body surfing, and dispatch, he developed his appreciation of walks, and when time allowed, longer overnight both nature and conservation, as well as his experi- tramping trips…. We visited art galleries, battle ence of the working Kiwi male. Here, too, he was sites, churches, cemeteries, maraes and museums; given a copy of The Sorrows and Joys of a New Zealand as well as stopping to look at many memorials and Naturalist, by our greatest ecological writer, Herbert monuments. If ever there was a stimulating way to Guthrie-Smith, who farmed Tutira in the northern learn history, this was it. Hawkes Bay. ‘It just opened my eyes to what we had Jock’s most ambitious personal publication has been losing in birdlife for so long,’ Jock recalls of this been A Man’s Country (1987), which redefines the early encounter with conservation. These visits to Te Barry Crump one-dimensional idea of a Kiwi man. Aratipi were as formative as his exposure to the more Deeply influenced by feminism, it also critiques the refined air he took in as a day boy at Christ’s College. All Black as one of the few male role models, while From his first marriage to feminist academic mateship gets an overdue re-examination. He has Phillida Bunkle he has two children. He is very much also been committed to uncovering the immigrant at home in the natural world and with wife Susan origins of Pākehā New Zealand, including in his Harper still gets into the hills, especially around Ota- book Settlers, a statistical study of the British and ki, in the weekends, discovering the valleys and often Irish migrants to New Zealand. entirely deserted huts in the northern Tararuas.

10 Phanzine December 2014 History for the general public

A founder and current President of PHANZA, Bronwyn Dalley, sees Jock as New Zealand’s leading public historian. The following are her words.

No other person has such a major funding channels for elusive and difficult of beings, the legacy in directly enabling so historical researchers and writ- general public. much New Zealand history to ap- ers in oral history, Māori history Jock has always been prepared pear, or in facilitating the work of and other areas. He was central to look at new topics, new ways of other historians; no one else has in initiating major historical presenting topics, or new theories. been behind the employment of works, including the New Zealand He was central to the adoption so many historians. Historical Atlas, and then Te Ara, of oral history as a methodology; As Chief Historian Jock rejuve- which has been immense, both took a leading role in the develop- nated the government’s Histori- in its digital and printed output. ment of biographical studies; and cal Branch and turned it into a The project is imaginative and played a core role in the develop- dynamic powerhouse of New accessible. ment of the historical exhibitions Zealand history, responsible for As a public historian I retain for the opening of Te Papa. His much of the growth of public an early piece of advice Jock gave work in digital publications has history in this country. Under his me: ‘Your job is not to argue with led the way in New Zealand and tenure, Jock’s team produced over other historians’, he said; the influenced similar international 80 history books and dozens focus instead was to be on the projects. He likes the interactive of oral history interviews, and general public. And Jock himself approach to history, and is always created New Zealand’s leading produces (and encourages others on the hunt for interesting stories history website. He obtained to produce) history for that most in whatever form.

▼▼ Left to right: Ian McGibbon, Paul Hudson, John Martin, David Green, Jock Phillips and Alan Henderson at launch of history of the Masterton Trust Lands Trust, 1997. (Photo: History Group, Ministry for Culture and Heritage)

Phanzine December 2014 11 Oral history defined, and redefined Claire Hall reflects on the status and role of oral history in New Zealand

Over the past decade of a career in oral history, I’ve and in turn the experience required to access com- gathered more than a few definitions in a bid to munity funding. place my craft within a New Zealand context. Oral history is the product of two minds This quest has taken me to libraries, museums interacting. and archives at home in Aotearoa, and overseas. I’ve — Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, questioned practitioners within communities us- quoted at http://www.teachingheritage.nsw.edu.au/ ing oral history as a means of putting their distinct section04/block.php. voices on record. I’ve quizzed peers – ‘pure’ histori- ans – who reject oral history as a reliable source due In the middle sits a model that acknowledges the to vagaries of memory and variability of quality. I’ve formative exchange within an oral history interview. conducted straw polls with the handful of students It recognises the interviewer as an active participant and academics using their own and other people’s shaping the flow and form of the testimony. A couple interviews as research sources. I’ve challenged the of excellent examples of projects placing interview- role and relevance of our national oral history ers visibly within the oral history paradigm (through association. interview journals, debriefing and reflective prac- My quest to work out what oral history is in a New tice) have come out of Australia in recent years: Zealand context continues, and has raised more Bringing Them Home (a report on the forced separa- questions for me than it’s answered. It has, however, tion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children given me a perspective from which to consider how from their families) and the Australian Generations oral history’s wide-ranging definitions align with the Oral History Project are two such. dominant modes of teaching, strategy and practice Waiata, karakia me kōrero tuku iho mā ngā in Aotearoa. And how New Zealand’s oral history mātua tupuna. ‘industry’ might better respond to the true diversity — Ngā Tātarakihi o Te Pūtē Routiriata o – and appetites – of its punters. Taranaki, class of 2014. In lieu of the full range of definitions, I’ll instead present a few exemplars of the continuum. At this end of the continuum, oral history isn’t a product created at the behest or approval of one Rather than finding out about a ‘true’ inner self dominant group over another. It’s the intrinsic or authentic experience, [oral history interviews] means of history, or traditional knowledge, being teach both interviewers and interviewees the ‘right’ passed on from one generation to another. Here re- way to be. lationship is arguably more important than profes- — Alexander Freund, ‘“Confessing Animals”: sional training when it comes to creating a historical Toward a Longue Durée History of the Oral History record. An example of this is iwi and hapū using oral Interview’, Oral History Review, 2014. history to capture whakapapa or kāwai kōrero (oral At one end of the continuum sits oral history as a testimony about descent or lineage). power relationship: an oral historian (qualified and In this situation, the dictates of mainstream ap- working to a code of practice endorsed by a profes- proaches to capturing oral history clearly clash with sional mandating body) extracting personal infor- tikanga, or cultural practice. In the main, Māori oral mation from a subject. This ‘confessional’ model history isn’t recorded for deposit within public col- is the dominant one in New Zealand and usually lections. Many iwi, hapū and whānau are intent on means completing National Library training, and maintaining ownership of their oral history records; subscribing to the National Oral History Association but ceding ownership is typically a condition of of New Zealand (NOHANZ) code of technical and deposit within mainstream repositories. ethical practice. Sadly, this tension means many iwi and hapū pro- The front page of the National Library’s website jects fall outside the scope of government funding, boasts the link ‘become an oral historian’. Less than a and Lottery grants. The National Library is the only week’s training is required to gain this ‘qualification’ Archives NZ-approved repository for oral history

12 Phanzine December 2014 ►► Members of the Australian Sesquicentennial Gift Trust meet with the Australian High Commissioner in 1990. Left to right: Chief Historian Jock Phillips, Tamati Reedy, the Australian High Commissioner, Trust Chair Judith Binney, Judith Fyfe and Ata Malifa. The Australian government gave a sesquicentennial gift to New Zealand of $1 million, which was used to establish the Awards in Oral History, administered by the Historical Branch and subsequently the History Group. (Photo: History Group, Ministry for Culture and Heritage.)

records commissioned by government agencies, – Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision (the New Zealand including projects funded by the New Zealand Oral Archive of Film, Television and Sound), the Ministry History Awards. for Culture and Heritage and the National Library I’d like to see our oral history community and – working together to resolve this. The latter two are public history funders promoting policies that sup- also negotiating a data sharing agreement. This sets port differing approaches to oral history, rather than out each agency’s responsibility around the capture, expecting New Zealand’s diverse communities to transfer and storage of digital oral history. subscribe to a single dominant mode of practice. Another significant advance is the recent soft launch of the National Library’s oral history cata- I’d like to see our oral history logue on TAPUHI. This long-awaited change brings the country’s largest oral history collection out of community and public history the reading room, making its content vastly more funders promoting policies that accessible to researchers. It enables commissioners, interviewers and interviewees to track how their support differing approaches to material is being arranged and described – and how oral history, rather than expecting their access stipulations are being interpreted. This move is part of the Library’s pledge to make New Zealand’s diverse communities its oral history function more sustainable and user- to subscribe to a single dominant focused, the result of an extensive review conducted about 18 months ago. Next up is an appraisal of the mode of practice. Library’s training and outreach arm, covering com- munity needs, audiences, relationships with key stakeholder groups and alignment with internation- al best practice. Digital technology is forcing that change. With That’s fertile ground for ensuring oral history in digital recorders and video cameras more accessible Aotearoa is achieving its full potential within public than ever, many non-expert users are ‘doing’ oral history practice. history without a nod to archival preservation stand- As Michael Frisch puts it in A Shared Authority ards. I don’t mention this to suggest it’s the best out- (1990): come, rather to propose that there’s a middle ground what is most compelling about oral and public we’ve not yet achieved when it comes to community history is a capacity to redefine and redistribute engagement. intellectual authority, so that this might be shared Video oral history is a case in point. New Zealand more broadly in historical research and communi- doesn’t have guidelines or training for this practice, cation rather than continuing to serve as an instru- which in turn means video projects don’t qualify ment of power and hierarchy. for funding. It’s great to see our three lead agencies

Phanzine December 2014 13 Heritage – the past 10 years When PHANZA was founded, the Historic Places Act 1993 was only a year old; twenty years on, we have new legislation governing heritage places. Michael Kelly looks back at developments in historic heritage over the past decade, and forward to its future prospects.

Even the briefest review of the past decade could not February 2011. The force of the second major Christ- avoid concluding that this has been a very difficult church earthquake was so great that hundreds of old period for heritage, courtesy of the Christchurch buildings perished or were later pulled down. Not earthquakes. The irony is that prior to those events, by any means were all of them recognised on public historic heritage was enjoying arguably its best era schedules as heritage buildings, but they consti- in the country’s history, with enhanced status under tuted, among other things, multiple streets of intact the Resource Management Act (RMA) and a rapidly- Victorian and Edwardian architecture, the likes of declining rate of demolitions. which only Dunedin could rival. Today, Christchurch is irrevocably changed, with some of its best build- The status of heritage in ings gone. It’s a loss that will be written about for generations. environmental law is still largely Unsurprisingly, the minds of many were focused intact . . . What have changed are back on earthquakes. Lying on the ‘ring of fire’ as New Zealand does, we have to live with the threat public and political perceptions of posed by seismic events. The loss of life in the risk. second earthquake put attention on unreinforced masonry buildings. It convinced the public and politicians that strengthening or demolishing the So this has been a decade that could be divided country’s stock of earthquake-prone buildings is es- into two parts: pre- and post-earthquakes. Prior to sential for public safety. The necessity or economic the earthquake of 4 September 2010, historic herit- argument for this is still under debate but there is no age was at last accepted as an important part of the doubt that the greatest consequences of the Christ- environment, even if incremental losses occurred church earthquakes will be an extraordinary invest- in various parts of the country and our stock of ment (which has already begun) in strengthening archaeological sites continued its steady decline. The earthquake-prone buildings over the next few dec- elevation of historic heritage to a matter of national ades and, more regrettably, the demolition of many importance under the RMA in 2003 was crucial in other buildings. providing a stronger legal foundation to its role in The last decade has been an interesting one for the built environment. It gave impetus to legal pro- Heritage New Zealand, formerly the New Zealand tection under district and regional plans and in local Historic Places Trust. The change of name hints at authority and Environment Court hearings. Another the shift in governance and focus that has taken important initiative was the government’s own place, but the most important change occurred well policy for the management of its historic heritage before the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (2004), which has been at least partially successful Act was passed this year. In 2010, the then Minister in making government departments more aware of for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Chris Finlayson, an- their responsibilities. nounced the intention to disestablish the NZHPT’s The status of heritage in environmental law is still branch committees, thereby ending the role of the largely intact, as recent hearings in Wellington for organisation’s volunteer arm after 55 years. In its the Harcourts Building (in the Environment Court) wake, a new member-based advocacy organisation, and Basin Reserve Bridge (Board of Inquiry) both Historic Places Aotearoa, was formed to advocate for show. What have changed are public and political heritage. The value of an organisation like this is that perceptions of risk. it can speak independently and without constraint, The country indisputably lost its greatest collec- something the branch committees could not do, tion of historic heritage in one fell swoop on 22 particularly after the NZHPT became a Crown entity

14 Phanzine December 2014 and more and more dependent on government funding. PHANZA Executive Committee Among other things, the new legislation also Bronwyn Dalley (President), freelance historian changed the process around the modification or [email protected] destruction of archaeological sites and, most intrigu- ingly, introduced a new category of historic place Karen Astwood (Secretary), IPENZ and freelance historian – National Historic Landmarks. This super status of [email protected] historic heritage is intended to acknowledge places Eileen Barrett-Whitehead (Treasurer), freelance historian of the highest importance – perhaps 50, 100 or 200 [email protected] in number – encompassing the very best of any type of historic heritage, from archaeological sites Elizabeth Cox, freelance historian through to modern architecture. The public is likely Sandra Gorter, freelance historian to have a significant input into the final composition of the list. Each place will be required to have a risk Marguerite Hill, Canterbury Museum management plan – a direct response to the threat of Paul Husbands, Waitangi Tribunal natural disasters such as earthquakes. The creation of the super-city of Auckland in 2010, Ewan Morris, Ministry for Culture and Heritage which has changed the political scene in a variety Margaret Pointer, freelance historian of ways, also introduced a major new player into the country’s heritage management landscape. The com- Geoffrey Rice, freelance historian bined resources of Auckland Council mean it easily Margaret Tennant, freelance historian rivals the Department of Conservation or Heritage New Zealand as a heritage manager and will increas- David Young, freelance historian ingly influence the direction that heritage practice takes in this country. Beyond the government, ICOMOS New Zealand Photo on page 2: Preparing for Christmas, boy beside Christmas (an organisation of heritage conservation profes- tree with note for Santa above fireplace. Negatives of the sionals) released a revised version of the ICOMOS Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1955/2766b-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. New Zealand Charter in 2010. It replaced the previ- ous versions, prepared in 1993 and 1995 respectively. The aim was to bring the Charter up to date with best practice, and it has been adopted by many organisa- Phanzine is published three times a year by the tions and practitioners, but it may take some years Professional Historians’ Association of New before its efficacy in conservation practice is fully Zealand / Aotearoa. understood. You can contact us by mail : Professional practice in heritage has continued to grow. Despite bad economic times, there are more The Editor, Phanzine, people than ever working in heritage. Postgraduate PO Box 1904, Thorndon, Wellington study in conservation practice has been offered (at Victoria University) since 2006, and practitioners or at [email protected] have also increasingly been undertaking specialist study overseas. It is more feasible than previously to This issue was edited by Ewan Morris. anticipate a career in heritage. Ultimately, the future prospects of heritage, in Disclaimer : Opinions expressed in Phanzine are particular protection and conservation, are dictated not necessarily those of the editors. Photos and by central and local government. They set the tone illustrations are credited where applicable. through legislation, incentives, coercion and exam- ple. Although a willingness to provide leadership in © PHANZA 2014 heritage protection and advocacy has been shown in the past, the present set of challenges – meeting seis- mic standards and managing expectations around resource management law – are particularly conten- tious and will make the next decade an interesting one.

Phanzine December 2014 15 New PHANZA committee members The following new members of the PHANZA committee were elected at the 2014 Annual General Meeting

Sandra Gorter Elizabeth Cox Paul Husbands Sandra is a freelance historian. Elizabeth has worked as a histo- Paul studied history at the Uni- She graduated from Auckland rian, policy analyst and manager versity of Auckland, where he University in English and History of heritage buildings for 15 years. received his BA and MA. His MA and her love of stories drew her Among other places, she has thesis was a study of Freeman’s towards history. Sailing, with its been employed by the Waitangi Bay in central Auckland between strong tradition of oral history, Tribunal and by the New Zealand 1880 and 1913, a period when it has provided a wealth of informa- Historic Places Trust, where she was a predominately working- tion for her published work. She worked in three different posi- class suburb rather than the home has worked as a freelance journal- tions, including as manager of a of multi-million dollar houses ist for a range of international number of historic sites around that it is now! He studied for a publications, providing stories the North Island. She also worked PhD in History at Duke Univer- in tourism, agriculture, and for for two years for the National sity, North Carolina, in the United events like the centenary of the Trust in the United Kingdom. In States, completing a disserta- Submariners Association and the 2010, she established her own tion on the letters that ordinary America’s Cup. Sandra’s latest pro- heritage consultancy, Bay Herit- Americans wrote to the US Presi- ject is a history of the country’s age Consultants. Since then, she dent. After North Carolina he largest privately-owned construc- has completed many projects, taught at universities in Paris, tion company, HEB Construction particularly focused on heritage France, before returning to New (Transmission Gully, Wellington’s buildings, for owners, conserva- Zealand in 2008. Since his return Arras Tunnel and others), where tion architects, the New Zealand he has worked mainly for the Wai- the history of the construction Historic Places Trust (now Her- tangi Tribunal as a historian and industry and this company in itage New Zealand) and other inquiry facilitator on the Rohe particular graphically illustrate government agencies. She has a Pōtae, Whanganui and Porirua-ki- 30–40 years of economic and particular interest in the social Manawatū regional inquiries. As political change in New Zealand. history of heritage buildings. a committee member he hopes to Sandra is the PHANZA represent- help PHANZA’s profile amongst ative in Auckland. historians working in the ‘Treaty sector.

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