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Category Archives: NZ History
Henry Williams – the inveterate learner
The chocks were kicked away. Fifty tonnes of sailing vessel glided down rollers, over the Paihia sand and plunged into the water. The multitude of Māori onlookers were briefly silenced. Astonished. Then they erupted. Hundreds splashed wildly into the water … Continue reading
Henry Williams – adventurer to the ends of the earth
The swine plummeted into the abyss. But this was no cliff above Galilee. It was a precipice above the Whanganui River. Henry Williams, now barefoot for greater grip, clung to the roots and branches on the side of the near … Continue reading
A time to fight – Galatas remembered
Today the road to the village square was quiet. Seventy-eight years ago it was a cacophony. The thud of boots, smashing glass, a clattering tank. The latter roared its way up this narrow lane between the houses. Behind it a … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Renewal, NZ History, Spiritual Renewal
Tagged ANZAC, Crete, Ewen McQueen, Galatas, Howard Kippenberger
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Henry Williams (RN) – the fighter on a new mission
The cannon misfired, blowing the young man down the bank. Festivities at Paihia were abruptly interrupted. It was December 1828 and hundreds had gathered at the Paihia mission station for the end of year huihuinga. George Clarke junior, a boy … Continue reading
Henry Williams – one of our greatest New Zealanders
He never won New Zealander of the Year Award. But in the two decades from 1823 to 1845 he should have – multiple times. Rev Henry Williams, former Royal Navy officer turned missionary, was an outstanding character in those pivotal … Continue reading
Prime Minister fails Treaty 101
The Prime Minister was lost for words – and, watching her, so was I. Two days out from Waitangi Day celebrations Jacinda Ardern was asked at a media stand-up if she knew what Article One of the Treaty of Waitangi … Continue reading
Posted in NZ History, Treaty of Waitangi
Tagged Co-governance, Ewen McQueen, Jacinda Ardern, Treaty of Waitangi
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The maunga and the Cross
So the Easter cross and Christmas star have gone from Auckland’s Mt Roskill. For nearly 60 years Aucklanders have enjoyed the beauty of these wonderful symbols of our Judeo-Christian heritage calling from the summit of one of the maunga in … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Renewal, NZ History, Spiritual Renewal
Tagged Easter, Ewen McQueen, Mt Roskill, Ngati Whatua, Paora Tuhaere
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Te reo Maori no cloak for secularism Mr Speaker
For nearly 170 years our Parliament has opened each session with a Christian prayer. Last week the new Speaker of the House, Trevor Mallard, unilaterally ditched it. Gone were references to both the Queen and Jesus Christ…. To continue reading … Continue reading
Such a garment as that !
It was the week before Easter. William Fairburn was returning home at night to the Paihia mission station accompanied by a young Maori man. As their boat glided over the darkened waters of the Bay of Islands the young man … Continue reading
Honour a long way from home
We pulled into the supermarket in a coastal village in southern Greece just as it was closing for the evening. The grandfather of the family business inquired where we were from. New Zealand we said. He immediately informed the rest of … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural Renewal, NZ History
Tagged ANZAC spirit, Battle of Thermopylae, Ewen McQueen, ISIL, ISIS, Islamic State, NZ in Greece WW2, NZ military campaigns
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