Auckland War Memorial Museum Under Threat From Within

[FlyingKiwi]

That's more or less what I saw too, while there are a hell of a lot of buzzwords and fluff in the original article, it's a bit of a stretch to go from that to expecting the Zero and the Spitfire are going to end up on a scrapheap. If anything leaves the collection it will probably actually be the Maori and Pacific stuff which will go back to its 'original' owners.

[davidd]

Remember that the Zero (Zeke) at the Museum in Auckland was almost scrapped in the early 1950s, when this aircraft was "resting" in the long grass outside at Hobsonville, having been uceremoniously booted out of the TTS hangar, presumably on the orders of the Officer in charge of that school. Such an aircraft had very little if any lessons to offer to the young airframe and engine tradsemen passing through the school, and it was apparently considered a left over from the war, with no present value or use. It was only luck that saved the Zeke from being sold to the scrapman, when an (administrative) officer realized what was happening, and fortunately he also remembered that this aircraft had previously been promised to the as-yet unbuilt war museum, and questioned why it was being put out to grass along with a larg number of Catalinas as well as other obsolete material. A narrow squeak, it was that close. It was also noted at this time that some young airmen, seeing the strange aircraft in the long grass, wandered over to have a closer look - some were believed to have casually taking small parts of the Zeke as souvenirs, assuming that it was going to be scrapped anyway.

[kiwiwreckdiver]

Feb 21, 2024 11:14:55 GMT 12 corsairarm said:

I just remember my father telling me that 3 aircraft were flown in. A Zero a Dinah and a Jake. He had photos of the first two which I may still have somewhere. The Zero was shipped back to NZ. The other two were left behind. He never said any thing about 3 Zeros.

The Jake is still sitting in the the bay, was scuttled by Kiwis as no one wanted to fly it back south.

[davidd]

There was no intention of flying the Jake at Jacquinot Bay "south". This aircraft apparently had an unnoticed slow leak in one float, and capsized where it was moored overnight. Salvage of the Jake (which was a fairly large aircraft) would have been a major job, quite beyond capability of the RNZAF personnel at "The Bay", and nobody really wanted this aircraft anyway, so I presume it was scuttled to get rid of it, and remove a "hazard to marine navigation". Thus the only Japanese aircraft remaining in anythhing like airworthy condition in the area were the Zeke 22's at Piva (South east Bougainville) and the three Zeke 52s at Jacquinot Bay, plus the (damaged) Dinah at the same location. There were also a few other waifs and strays in various locations, including the damaged Kate still at Rabaul, and I think the Oscar that survived and ended up in NZ much later was also there somewhere. Also stray remains of Bettys and other Zekes, Rufes, etc, and at least one Irving at Rabaul with no engines. Also the remains of an Emily in Rabaul harbour near the shore, which was not in good shape. The three Zeke 52s were all flown from Rabaul to Jacquinot Bay by Japanese pilots, along with the Dinah, which I think had one additional Japanese passenger aboard. The Jake was flown to Jacquinot Bay a little later by F/L R H F Hickson, with another kiwi (groundstaff?) aboard. Hickson was an Australian-born member of RNZAF and his "day job" was as a Catalina captain with (I think) 6 Squadron. Numerous good quality photographs were taken of the three Zeke 52s and the Dinah arriving at Jacquinot Bay by an RNZAF cameraman, the negatives still survive at the RNZAF Museum.

[Dave Homewood]

See photos here
rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/27980/japanese-wwii-aircraft-photo-thread

rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/26735/30-su-photos

rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/23770/aichi-e13a-jake

[Peter Lewis]

See this link for more discussion:

realitycheck.radio/mark-cameron-act-mp-on-auckland-war-memorial-museums-war-on-colonial-history/

[McFly]

Auckland Museum’s te reo Māori plans ridiculed, opponents label them ‘PC snowflakes’ - (Link)
The Spinoff - By Tommy de Silva - 4 Mar, 2024

Despite being called woke and PC snowflakes by opponents, the museum intends to centre te reo Māori me ōna tikanga and mātauranga more deeply in its operations going forward.

Annual plans don’t typically garner media, political or public attention, nor many submissions during consultation. Tāmaki Paenga Hira/Auckland War Memorial Museum’s annual plans usually pass through with little comment or attention. Its draft 2024/2025 plan, however, laying out the museum’s pathway to its 2029 centenary, is different.

Act Party MP Mark Cameron called the plan divisive and disrespectful. “Auckland War Memorial Museum’s plan to transform into a tikanga-led ‘social impact organisation’ stinks of the politically-correct mission creep that already besets too many of our public institutions,” Cameron wrote. He called the museum expanding repatriation “a massive own goal”, and said the plan’s “gibberish” transforms the museum “into a woke political organisation”.

So what is actually in the plan? It says the that to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi and biculturalism, the museum must disrupt colonial narratives in favour of further elevating te reo Māori me ōna tikanga and mātauranga plus tikanga Māori.

Cameron’s statement referenced a Newstalk ZB article (free on the Herald) “Auckland Museum to shift from ‘colonial museum’ to ‘Te Tiriti-led Museum’”. The article’s tone suggests that Tāmaki Paenga Hira’s annual plan radically reinterpreted its remit – but at a February 29 hui, museum board members rejected that suggestion. They said that recognising te ao Māori in their latest annual plan simply builds on their pre-existing foundation of celebrating our indigenous culture.

One of two public submitters present, Dr Roger Lins from the Auckland Museum Initiative, said the plan “stands on the foundation of what you’ve been doing for at least 10 years.” The plan backs up the board and Lins’ points. “In the last few years,” it reads, “we have progressed a number of initiatives which form the foundation for becoming a tikanga-led museum.” Examples include the Māori/Pasifika-led textile project Te Aho Mutunga Kore and revitalising Te Toki a Tapiri (the last surviving great historic war canoe) by replacing its bindings and lashing with authentic materials. Revitalising the waka taua is led by raranga experts from the five iwi associated with the taonga.

At the hui, the board approved its draft annual plan – but what does it explicitly say about the museum building upon its pre-existing Te Tiriti and tikanga obligations? Tāmaki Paenga Hira will “move to disrupt our colonial narratives in line with our commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This builds upon the bicultural foundation,” reads the plan’s strategic framework. It says this strategy represents the museum today and who it aspires to be. The plan also approved Auckland War Memorial Museum becoming more informed by te reo Māori me ōna tikanga and mātauranga. In his written submission, Lins said these approaches represent “a clear and powerful vision for the museum.”

Other Māori initiatives in the plan include:

• Creating two annual summer scholarships for tauira Māori and Pasifika
• Developing a repatriation policy which upholds Te Tiriti and redresses past injustices by returning kōiwi and taonga
• Expanding their Matariki celebrations
• Exploring warfare’s impact on Māori
• Giving Te Aho Mutunga Kore dedicated funding and staff
• Learning from iwi about te taiao
• Partnering with tāngata whenua to authentically represent te ao Māori and care for and conserve taonga
• Redeveloping the ageing Māori court before the museum’s centenary
• Strengthening their Māori workforce
• Undertaking an indigenous-led ecosystem management plan in the Kermadecs

At the meeting, the board discussed the plan’s wording about how it could overcome the colonial narratives which have thus far dominated the museum. Initially the plan’s wording mentioned that the museum was keen to move on from colonial narratives, but that was changed to “disrupt” colonial narratives. After public consultation, the museum’s planning committee chairwoman, Penny Hulse, suggested removing the word “disrupt” to avoid inflaming annual plan opponents. CEO David Reeves suggested changing it to “interrogate”, but board member Rachel Tūwhāngai said that was too strong. David Williams, an emeritus professor in law at Auckland University and a Waitangi Tribunal member, wanted to ensure the plan “keeps specific references to Te Tiriti”. Ultimately, the board agreed the wording could be decided later.

Reeves explained that slight modifications would be made, but there would be “no radical u-turn”. Minor wording changes were as far as the board were willing to go to incorporate feedback from public submissions. Hulse, a former deputy mayor, explained that because there were “57 submissions out of 1.7 million people”, their views didn’t represent a large enough mandate to necessitate the museum taking a “step back.”

Of the overwhelmingly elderly Pākehā submitters, more opposed the plan than supported it. Twenty-six per cent cited concerns over Te Tiriti, with some calling it irrelevant. One said, “there is absolutely no need to be Te Tiriti-led. It’s a museum for all of NZ. Stop the activism… and be a museum.” Many submitters echoed Act MP Cameron’s statement, saying Tāmaki Paenga Hira leaders were woke, politically correct snowflakes who lacked impartiality. “It’s a war museum! Not a woke museum,” one wrote. “Sack the pathetic woke activists,” said an elderly woman who’d never visited Auckland Museum and didn’t plan to. However, not all submitters were against the annual plan – for example, a rangatahi Māori from Manukau said Te Tiriti was important.

Submitters were invited to present feedback in person, with two doing so, the aforementioned Lins and Bill Rayner from the elderly advocacy group Grey Power. They both broadly supported the plan. Within the sector, “there are winds of change,” explained Rayner, who thought alongside centring te ao Māori, the museum should still uphold its other commitments, like being a war memorial.

In the aftermath of Posie Parker’s visit to NZ, the museum decided against showcasing a hit JK Rowling associated exhibition after she was criticised as being anti-trans. Image / Tina Tiller / The Spinoff

Although the Māori parts of the Tāmaki Paenga Hira annual plan received media and political attention, they were not the plan’s only proposals, nor the only kaupapa submitters mentioned. Many public submitters discussed the museum’s decision to cancel the Fantastic Beasts exhibition over concerns about Harry Potter author JK Rowling’s anti-trans stance. A submitter wrote, “Drop the rainbow… be a museum”, while another said, “This museum is for ALL New Zealanders, not zealots, Trans Activists and Racists.”

Regarding the annual plan’s other motions, Auckland Museum will introduce a more sustainable three-year funding model. It will also change its policy for lighting up the museum’s exterior after they found themselves in hot water for a pro-Israel lighting display as Israel was bombarding Palestine. Staff mental health was also discussed at the hui. Director of people and organisation Catherine Smith said that museum staff, particularly kaimahi Māori, have experienced increased mental health concerns of late. Smith explained there has been a “very deep impact of how this political swing to the right has had on tāngata whenua staff.” It was agreed that the Government’s rhetoric has emboldened people to attack the museum and its employees.

As 2024′s first Tāmaki Paenga Hira board hui wound down, a stirring waiata could clearly be heard in the second-floor meeting room from the ground-floor’s ageing but still captivating Māori court.

[Antonio]

That's the biggest load of crap I have seen in quite some time

[Peter Lewis]

Unfortunately, these days, a lot of funding is provided tied to a requirement to present a Maori view - eg MoTAT.

[kiwiwreckdiver]

jesus the orginal war memorial was set up buy ww1 veterans , they would be turning in their graves!! This non stop pandering to Iwi has to stop!!!

[Antonio]

"Director of people and organisation Catherine Smith said that museum staff, particularly kaimahi Māori, have experienced increased mental health concerns of late. Smith explained there has been a “very deep impact of how this political swing to the right has had on tāngata whenua staff.” It was agreed that the Government’s rhetoric has emboldened people to attack the museum and its employees."

What a load of shit.
Such a myopic view.
There was nothing wrong with the 'old' museum.  This crap has been brought about by Expletives!!!!!! (the board) undermining the very foundations that set the museum up in the first place.

[ErrolC]

Mar 8, 2024 9:58:04 GMT 12 kiwiwreckdiver said:

jesus the orginal war memorial was set up buy ww1 veterans , they would be turning in their graves!! This non stop pandering to Iwi has to stop!!!

I think a large part of the problem is that the Auckland War Memorial museum is also the general museum for the Auckland province. The Hall of Memories for those that fought in wars (even if they are Imperial in nature) is very different from looted mummies.

[Dave Homewood]

If the poor darlings at the museum cannot take criticism from the public and are suffering "mental health problems", it's time to stand them down and replace them with people who LISTEN to the public criticism.

[Antonio]

Well said, Sir.
Applause

[Antonio]

The email:

"Dear Sir,
I must say that the press release is causing more than its fair share of angst and concern to the aviation fraternity and, in my case, online researchers.
There seems to be a slash and burn approach being instigated against anything European which, given that you are meant to be our national war memorial, surely goes against the reason this museum was established.

So what will be the fate of the following?
The naval guns?
The Mitsubishi Zero?
The Supermarine Spitfire?
The V-1 Flying bomb?

What will be the fate of the Online Cenotaph web site?
This site is more important to New Zealand researchers that I have been in touch with than the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.

What will be the fate of the impressive research library?

Will there be transparency - public notifications - on the fate of any exhibit deemed irrelevant?
Is there any intention to destroy any material without notification to the public?

Will maori colonisation be covered?
Especially to what amounted to ethnic cleansing of many tribes.
Tarakena Bay in Wellington is especially poignant for me.
Let's be honest, Europeans are not the only ones with blood on their hands.

What about the progrom of the Moriori?

Finally a comment from a colleague that I have lifted from a web site:
"On a very serious note, this will allow them to completely obliterate or destroy the hugely important historical evidence of pre-maori occupation contained therein.
Evidence that has been embargoed for years from anyone investigating the topic; access denied, period.

I look forward to your reply,"

The reply:

"Dear Antonio,
Thank you for writing to the Museum. I infer that your correspondence relates to recent media coverage of the Museum’s Draft Annual Plan for the coming financial year, 2024/25, for which the public submission period closed on 15 February. Whilst the media article implied the plan was a significant departure from the Museum’s current practice, this is not true. The Museum has not instigated ‘a slash and burn approach against anything European’. Whilst we periodically update objects on display, the Museum is not intending any changes to the objects you have identified, nor to the Online Cenotaph or Research Library, nor to the war memorial halls.

Each year we publish a draft annual plan, setting out our intended budget and key activities, amongst other things, for public feedback. This information is available on our website. We would welcome your feedback on future draft annual plans.

Regards,"

Note the salutation and sign-off in English!

[Dave Homewood]

So this was yet another case of the media attempting to cause divide. Bloody typical.