Nau mai ki te kawerongo o Ngā Taonga – welcome to our newsletter

To mark our national day we've put together Reflecting on Waitangi – Kia Whai Whakaaro ki a Waitangi, a special compilation looking at changes in how Waitangi Day has been commemorated. We also share news about Wellington becoming a UNESCO City of Film and how you can pitch your documentary idea to DocEdge.

Waitangi Day

We have a special compilation, Reflecting on Waitangi – Kia Whai Whakaaro ki a Waitangi, screening at more than a dozen locations around the country this Waitangi Day. Tracking the changes in how Waitangi Day is commemorated since its first official ceremony in 1934, the programme makes for fascinating viewing. Read about how it came together and where you can see it on our blog.

Mai i te tau 1934, kua whakamaharatia ā-ōkawa nei te Rā o Waitangi, otīra, kua panonitia hoki te āhua o taua whakamahara. I tēnei tau, kua whakaritea e mātou tētehi pikitia e rua tekau miniti te roa e whakaatu ana i ngā momo whakamahara. He mea tiki mai i ngā kiriata i ā mātou kohinga ataata-rongo. Ka kōrero mātou ki ngā tāngata nā rātou te hōtaka nei i whakarite, me tā rātou whakanonoi, me mātua mātakitaki e te tangata te pikitia nei.

Wellington City of Film

Wellington was recently announced as a UNESCO City of Film, recognising it as one of 18 cities around that world that have a significant culture and history of filmmaking. Ngā Taonga is pleased to support the strategic goals of Wellington City of Film. Read more about the launch event and what the new designation means for the city, and the country, in this blog.

Kua karangahia a Te Whanganui-a-Tara hei Taone Kiriata UNESCO, e whakanui ana i ngā taone 18 o te ao e tino kaha ana te mahi kiriata, mai anō. E koa ana a Ngā Taonga ki te tautoko i ngā whāinga matua o Te Whanganui-a-Tara hei Taone Kiriata. Pānuitia tēnei kiritaki kia kitea ai ētahi atu kōrero e pā ana ki te whakarewatanga me ngā hua mō te taone me te motu.

Hawke's Bay earthquake

The Hawke's Bay earthquake struck 90 years ago, on 3 February 1931. It remains New Zealand's deadliest natural disaster and the long, strong shake dramatically altered many parts of the region. This newsreel from two years earlier shows how Napier, 'the Brighton of New Zealand', used to look.

We have a number of recordings that show the aftermath of the earthquake – click the button below.

In addition to our Waitangi screenings around the country, we have some exciting screenings coming up.

• Rewi's Last Stand is screening at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery on Sunday 7 February at 1pm, plus additional showings over the next few months.
• PATU! is screening at Dunedin Public Art Gallery on Sunday 7 February at 3pm.

Got a cracking idea for a doco? Pitches are open for DocEdge Industry! Mentorship, Date-A-Doco and support from those in the know are up for grabs – but applications close 12 February!

• Two of our most popular items on our online catalogue recently have been Sisters of Kezia, recollections from the sisters of Katherine Mansfield, and Play Apparatus, a look at rural Hawke's Bay and East Coast schools in 1953.
• We recently farewelled Bill Sheat (1930-2021), an influential figure in New Zealand film. This article from Stuff pays tribute to his long career. 
• Also on Stuff, take a look inside the vaults of our colleagues at Archives New Zealand. 
• Congratulations to Kallen from Epsom who won DVDs in our previous issue's giveaway. Decimal Currency Day was 10 July 1967.

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