Greetings from New Zealand.
The new SPRI conservators Sophie and Christina kindly asked me to write a quick update on what I have been up to since leaving SPRI in November 2011.
I emigrated to Dunedin in New Zealand to take up the post of Senior Conservator at the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. Dunedin is in Otago region of the South Island and has a strong Scottish and Māori heritage.
My initial task has been to prepare objects for re-display during the museum's $37.5m redevelopment. The project was four years in length with the museum being closed to the public for the last two years whilst major building works were carried out. This has resulted in the doubling of the foot print of the museum and exciting new galleries.
Portrait Gallery – old and new technology. (Photo: Steve Munroe)
The museum reopened on Friday 7th December 2012 with a whakawatea and mihimihi. Mihimihi are introductory speeches which take place at the beginning of a gathering. The museum was then blessed before the Civic ceremony took place.
Part of opening ceremony (Photo: Steve Munroe)
Food is very important and I got the opportunity to try tītī (muttonbird) for the first time, and also to eat some of my absolute favourite, crayfish.
Me and Claire (Registrar) enjoying our kai! (Photo: Steve Munroe)
It has been an exhausting but enjoyable experience, and now everyone is ready for a holiday over the Christmas and New Year period.
This is the pohutukawa or New Zealand Christmas tree.
Don’t forget to pop in and visit the museum if you are ever in this part of the world.
Fiona McLaughlan
