New Zealand Archivist Vol XV No 1 Autumn/March 2004 ISS 0114-7676 Ratana Archives Centre Opens Rosemary Collier On a windy but bright day, 23 January 2004, a major event occurred: the opening of a dedicated building for archives of the Ratana Church and Movement at Ratana Pa, 20km south-east of Wanganui, just off State Highway 3. On a windy but bright Wanganui, Chas Poynter, and day, 23 January 2004, a the mayor of Rangitikei, Bob major event occurred: the Buchanan. (Although close to opening of a dedicated Wanganui, Ratana Pa is building for archives of the within the boundaries of Ratana Church and Rangitikei District). Movement at Ratana Pa, The driving force behind 20km south-east of this development has been the Wanganui, just off State work of Puawai and Arahi Highway 3. Taking place Hagger and the Uri during the annual hui Whakatupuranga (which (gathering or meeting), means the new generation) which attracts many team. Part of their vision for thousands of Ratana the preservation of the archives members from throughout and recognition of the history the country, it therefore of the Ratana Church and brought to the attention of Movement has now been hundreds of people the fulfilled, but this is far from the existence and importance of end of their plans and ideas. Ratana archives. The hui is It was unfortunate that held annually on the communication gaps had birthday of T. W. Ratana, the occurred (no fault of the Uri founder. Whakatupuranga team), and The combined Ratana the Prime Minister, Helen Brass Bands from all over Clark, was not formally the North Island played, guided off the marae to leading the huge L to R: Arahi Hagger, Hon. John Tamihere, Mayor Charles perform the opening, as procession, which included Poynter (Wanganui), Mayor Bob Buchanan (Rangitikei), expected. Nor did she make the Prime Minister, to the Puawai Hagger, holding the korowai (cloak) used by John any references to archives in marae. Despite the wind, Tamihere to unveil the plaque commemorating the grant her speech on the marae. Temple, Manuao (the from the Lottery Grants Board grant The Archives building was building on the marae formerly the Post Office for housing the whare kai [dining room] and other Ratana Pa, which (like so many) had been closed for functions); the word means man of war, or ark) and years. While it is a wooden building, therefore not Marae looked immaculate: lawns, gardens, potted ideal, Puawai Hagger, as project manager, has ensured shrubs and trees all contributed to an attractive setting. that fire and security precautions are of the highest The opening brought together everyone who was standard, as recommended by the Wormald Fire involved in any way with the establishment of the Protection company. The present writer was one of Archives Centre, and thus we were part of the occasion those asked for advice, and wrote a report on the of the first day of the annual hui. Speeches on the suitability of the building and its possibilities, among marae by the Prime Minister and others, with other topics. Jocelyn Cuming, Preservation Officer at accompanying waiata (songs), were forerunners (for the National Preservation Office based at National those of us interested in the archives side of things) to Library, also gave advice. As a former resident of the opening of the Archive Centre building. This was Wanganui she felt particularly keen to support the performed by the Associate Minister of Maori Affairs, efforts of the Uri Whakatupuranga team. Puawai had John Tamihere, with the assistance of the mayor of consulted her when visiting National Library. Jocelyn has undertaken to assist in obtaining funding for the Group, which was responsible for granting $40,000 microfilming of the only complete set of the Ratana from the Social Entrepreneur Fund, to allow the newspaper Whetu Marama o te Kotahitanga, which dates Haggers to travel to the South Island seeking archives from 1924 to the present. and memorabilia for the Centre. There they also As a result of the expert assessments, and the conducted interviews with older Ratana Maori with intrinsic value of what was happening, the Lottery tales to tell, which were recorded for future reference. Grants Board gave money for the refurbishment of the Until the grant from Lotteries was received, the building, including the provision of security and fire Haggers' work was self-financed and administered; a prevention features. A Rangitikei District Council labour of love. This grant was managed by the Uri grant paid for display boards and other features for Whakatupuranga Trust, the body within the Ratana the interior of the building. Movement officially responsible for the archives project. The building has been painted dark blue and red, The Ratana Archive Centre is concentrating on with Uri Whakatupuranga logo on its front wall: a gold visual and oral archives at present, but is also seeking star shooting off a coloured rainbow in the five primary paper documents. There are hopes that before long it colours used by the Ratana Movement and Church. will be able to house official Ratana paper archives, Also invited to the function was Taina H. Tangaere and remove them from their present inadequate McGregor, Oral Historian, Maori, at the Alexander accommodation. Turnbull Library. Taina remarked on the great effort Now there are plans to disseminate the knowledge that the Uri Whakatupuranga team had achieved with gained from the archives through an education so little resources. She was amazed how they had set programme. up the Archives Centre, the collections they had Contact for the Ratana Archives Centre is Puawai acquired, and she approved of their gaining expert Hagger, 027 2319050. More information on the Ratana advice. She was mindful that Puawai had said there Church and Movement can be gained from the website: was much more to do, such as getting money for www.tehaahiratana.co.nz (Te Haahi Ratana means the shelving for the paper archives. Nevertheless, the Ratana Church.) work they had done, the advice they had had, and the help they received with translations of documents, all See News Items for newspaper stories about the Haggers, boded well for the future. Ratana Archives and the new Archive Centre. Another person present was Lainey Cowan who Thanks are due to Taina McGregor, and Puawai and works for the government's Community Employment Arahi Hagger for assistance in compiling this report. Guests, including your Editor, view the displays, which include a large photograph ofT.W. Ratana Puawai Hagger entering the newly opened Archives Centre Hon. Pakekura Horomia talking to guests at the opening Tania Me Gregor, /., Arahi Hagger, r., and Lainey Cowan Bank of New Zealand re-opens its museum Robin H. Griffin "Ah, sweet mystery of Banking” is brilliantly evoked in the revamped, refurbished and re-opened Bank of New Zealand Museum in the Grand Annexe in Wellington by the dim lighting which begins at the entrance, reminiscent of an old-time bank, many of which had dim lighting and mysterious interiors. All the artefacts that were in the old museum (and Thereby hangs a true story: one day a general some more) are on view, but re-organised in a more manager brought to one of the tellers, who did not comprehensible manner. recognise him, some handfuls of cash which he had The major innovation as compared with the old found when going through the pockets of his suits. museum is the illustrated timeline of the Bank's He laid them in neat piles on the counter according history just inside the museum's entrance. One can't to their denominations, which the teller counted. cover every aspect of the history of the Bank; the time­ When she had finished, he asked if he had recorded line would need to be as long as Willis Street to cover the amounts correctly on his deposit voucher and she all the important dates exhaustively. One unfortunate affirmed this, whereupon he asked her if he would omission, in my view, is the photograph of the special make a good teller. She replied that he would, but he constables appointed during the strike on the wharves would not want to be one because the pay was too in 1913. You guessed it - they were bankers, showing lousy! Thereafter, photographs of the Board thereby their middle class and commercial Chairman, the General Manager and other senior sympathies for law and order. executives were placed on all the tellers' counters. "Would Madam and Sir like to sit down?" In the The average visitor, especially from overseas, may museum we have a selection of chairs used in the wonder why yachts feature in one of the displays. Bank since the beginning of the 1900s. The oldest is Are bankers hankering for a life on the ocean wave? the one made from the timbers of Plimmer's "Noah's No; this reflects the huge amount of money the Bank Ark", i.e. the 19th century ship Inconstant. The remains put into the sponsorship of the New Zealand boat in of the ship were discovered under the old bank (now the America's Cup some years ago, which we won! The Old Bank Arcade) across the road when the New Zealand bankers are loyal to their namesake! basement was being excavated during restoration of These are but a selection of the exhibits on show in the building about six years ago. There are also solid the brilliantly revamped BNZ Archives Museum, and hard chairs which were used at write-up desks which is now much better than it was originally. in the old days: where staff wrote up the ledgers.