Category: History

Lost stories: Recent history related books

Alayne

We have an impressive amount of new history related books being added to the catalogue this month! The below list includes a history of The Black Death, the true story of Tutankhamun, the almost completely lost language of the /Xam people and the often erased lives of women in the middle ages.

Femina : a new history of the middle ages through the women written out of it / Ramirez, Janina
“The middle ages are seen as a bloodthirsty time of Vikings, saints and kings: a patriarchal society which oppressed and excluded women. But when we dig a little deeper into the truth, we can see that the ‘dark’ ages were anything but. Oxford and BBC historian Janina Ramirez has uncovered countless influential women’s names struck out of historical records, with the word FEMINA annotated beside them. As gatekeepers of the past ordered books to be burnt, artworks to be destroyed, and new versions of myths, legends and historical documents to be produced, our view of history has been manipulated. “– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Dreaming the Karoo : a people called the /Xam / Blackburn, Julia
“In spring 2020, Julia Blackburn travelled to the Karoo region of South Africa to see for herself the ancestral lands that had once belonged to an indigenous group called the /Xam. Throughout the nineteenth century the /Xam were persecuted and denied the right to live in their own territories. In the 1870s, facing cultural extinction, several /Xam individuals agreed to teach their intricate language to a German philologist and his indomitable English sister-in-law. The result was the Bleek-Lloyd Archive: 60,000 notebook pages in which their dreams, memories and beliefs, alongside the traumas of their more recent history, were meticulously recorded word for word. It is an extraordinary document which gives voice to a way of living in the world which we have all but lost. ‘All things were once people’, the /Xam said”– Publisher’s description.” (Catalogue)

India : a history in objects / Blurton, T. Richard
“An authoritative visual history of one of the world’s oldest and most vibrant cultures, drawing on South Asian art and artefacts from prehistory to the present. Arranged chronologically, and abundantly illustrated with expertly selected objects, this superb new overview connects today’s India with its past. Early chapters uncover prehistoric objects from 1.5 million years ago, examine artefacts from the Indus Civilization, and follow the emergence and transmission of Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism and Sikhism, as well as the incoming religions of Zoroastrianism, Islam and Christianity.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The passengers / Ashon, Will
“Between October 2018 and March 2021, Will Ashon collected voices – people talking about their lives, needs, dreams, loves, hopes and fears – all of them with some connection to the British Isles. He used a range of methods including letters sent to random addresses, hitchhiking, referrals from strangers and so on. He conducted the interviews in person, on the phone, over the internet or asked people to record themselves.”–Publisher’s description.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Tutankhamun : pharaoh, icon, enigma : lost for three thousand years, misunderstood for a century / Tyldesley, Joyce A
“A hundred years ago, a team of archaeologists in the Valley of the Kings made a remarkable discovery: a near-complete royal burial, an ancient mummy, and golden riches beyond imagination. The lost tomb of Tutankhamun ignited a media frenzy, propelled into overdrive by rumours of a deadly ancient curse. But amid the hysteria, many stories — including that of Tutankhamun himself — were distorted or forgotten.”–Publisher’s description.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

You don’t know what war is : the diary of a young girl from Ukraine / Skalietska, Yeva
“An important, harrowing and ultimately hopeful memoir about the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war as told through the diary entries of a young Ukrainian girl.” (Catalogue)

 

 

The world the plague made : the Black Death and the rise of Europe / Belich, James
“In 1346, a catastrophic plague beset Europe and its neighbours. The Black Death was a human tragedy that abruptly halved entire populations and caused untold suffering, but it also brought about a cultural and economic renewal on a scale never before witnessed. The World the Plague Made is a panoramic history of how the bubonic plague revolutionized labour, trade, and technology and set the stage for Europe’s global expansion.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Come to this court and cry : how the Holocaust ends / Kinstler, Linda
“A few years ago Linda Kinstler discovered that a man fifty years dead – a former Nazi who belonged to the same killing unit as her grandfather – was the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation in Latvia. The proceedings threatened to pardon his crimes. They put on the line hard-won facts about the Holocaust at the precise moment that the last living survivors – the last legal witnesses – were dying. Across the world, Second World War-era cases are winding their way through the courts. Survivors have been telling their stories for the better part of a century, and still judges ask for proof. Where do these stories end? “–Publisher’s description.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The life of Kathleen Hall

Xinxin

Kathleen Hall (1896-1970) was born in Napier and moved to Auckland where she trained as a nurse after completing secondary school. In 1922 she was accepted by the Anglican Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to undertake missionary work in China. She arrived there in 1923 and spent the next two years in Peking studying China’s language, culture and history. She was given a teaching position in Peking Union Medical College (Xiehe), a highly advanced institution with modern facilities which was funded by the American Rockefeller Foundation and operated by British & American Protestant missions.

Hall began working in missionary hospitals in Hejian in Hebei, Datong and Anguo in Shanxi where she became the ‘sister-in-charge’ of its base hospital. By 1933 she recognised the need for medical services in rural areas and applied to the bishop for permission to establish a ‘cottage hospital’ in Songjiazhuang in western Hebei.  She returned briefly to New Zealand to study midwifery but by 1934 was back in Songjiazhuang. She developed a reputation for providing medical care to rural peasants regardless of their ability to pay and worked long hours to assist them. She became known as “Dr Hall” among locals who remarked how “she was a good person who did numerous good things here”. In addition to her provision of medical care, she trained over 60 local nurses, taught literacy, donated food to the poor and provided funds to help build a new hospital.

“In this world of deep division, Kathleen Hall is a shining example of devotion, loyalty, and tenacity.”

– Miao Fan, NZ China Friendship Society

 

Kathleen Hall, 1896-1970. Hall, Mary :Photographs of Kathleen Hall. Ref: 1/2-181983-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23114625

 

Continue reading “The life of Kathleen Hall” →

Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush with author Bee Dawson

Tess

We sat down with local author Bee Dawson to discuss the newly released book Ōtari: Two hundred years of Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush. Dawson tells us the story behind writing the book, and explains why Ōtari–Wilton’s Bush is a unique Wellingtonian treasure. We discuss local history, native plant conservation, collaborative research, and the special people who have helped create and celebrate Aotearoa New Zealand’s only native bush reserve.

The book features an array of botanical drawings and historic photographs, charting Ōtari’s significance to the local community over its history, from the 1820’s to the present day. The contemporary photographs by Chris Coad are particularly striking and beautifully illustrate why Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush is ranked as a six-star garden of significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust.

On Wellington City Recollect our Rare Books collection contains a digitsed copy of the 1932 document ‘A Scheme for the Development and Arrangement of the Otari Open-Air Native Plant Museum‘, written by the beloved Dr Leonard Cockayne, Wellington’s ‘honorary botanist’ and champion of Ōtari.

Otari : Two hundred years of Otari-Wilton’s Bush / Dawson, Bee

“The story of Ōtari–Wilton’s Bush, the only botanic garden dedicated solely to the collection and conservation of the plants unique to Aotearoa New Zealand and a native bush reserve with over a hundred hectares of regenerating forest, including some of Wellington’s oldest trees.” (Publisher’s Description)
For more information on the book visit The Cuba Press.

Gung Ho: The life of Rewi Alley

Xinxin

Rewi Alley (1897-1987) was born in the Canterbury town of Springfield and grew up in Amberly and Christchurch. He moved to China in 1926 and, over the following decade, worked in a number of different professions including: a firefighter, a factory inspector and a relief worker. He witnessed severe poverty and inequalities of wealth in his adopted country. In 1937, he founded the Association of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives known as Gung Ho (“Work together”) with the American journalist Edgar Snow and several other associates. Gung Ho organised small-scale, self-supporting, cooperatives which created employment for workers and also provided resistance during the Japanese occupation.

Rewi Alley. Burt, Gordon Onslow Hilbury, 1893-1968 :Negatives. Ref: 1/2-036405-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22548741

China gave me an aim to life, a cause to fight for, each year more richly; a place in the ranks of the advancing millions; how great a thing has this been, what bigger reward could one imagine than that which has come to me, and now sustains!
– Rewi Alley

By 1940, he began establishing schools in various parts of China. One of his associates was the British adventurer George Hogg, who revitalised a school in the small village of Shuangshipu (Feng Xi’an). Alley joined Hogg and, in 1942, helped him move the school to the northern county of Shandan after it was threatened by Japanese troops. Following Hogg’s death from tetanus in 1945, Alley took over as headmaster, with administration gradually transferring to local officials following the Communist victory in 1949. By 1953 Alley had settled in Beijing and became a spokesperson for various international peace agencies, such as the World Peace Council. He immersed himself in writing about China and was well-known for his contribution to Chinese literature, writing and translating over 60 books — including the work of Bai Juyi, often regarded as being the finest poet of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907). Several of Alley’s books and biographies are held in our collection and can be found through the Wellington City Libraries catalogue.

Rewi Alley teaching, Shandan School, Gansu, China. Alley, Rewi, 1897-1987 :Photographs. Ref: PA1-q-664-14-4. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23021115

 

 

‘China’s cause is my own cause’.

– Rewi Alley

 

 

 

Later in life he revived the Gung Ho organisation with other veterans of the movement and also conceived a plan for a new school in Shandan. He also met and often got to know many of China’s most influential government officials: including Song Qingling, Zhou Enlai, Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Alley dedicated 60 years of his life in China and founded the NZ China Friendship Association. In 1987, both the New Zealand and Chinese governments honoured Alley for his work in Chin,a where he continues to hold the special status of being one of ‘China’s Top 10 international friends of all time’.

‘Eternal Glory to the Great Internationalist Fighter’.

– Deng Xiaoping, Chairman of China

Rewi Alley 60 years in China. Rewi Alley with his Chinese family. Alley, Rewi, 1897-1987 :Photographs. Ref: PA1-q-655-07-1. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/2318543

Rewi Alley speaking from a podium, China. Alley, Rewi, 1897-1987 :Photographs. Ref: PA1-q-642-07-4. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23029371

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2022 marks the 125th anniversary of Rewi Alley’s birth and his life and work to inspire people in both China and New Zealand.

Text sourced from https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/rewi-alley

Rewi Alley resources

Parihaka Day: Kōrero with Kura Moeahu

wclstaff

If you haven’t heard of Parihaka,
Be sure
Your grandchildren will
And their children after them

From “He waiata tēnei mō Parihaka” by J.C. Sturm.

5 November 1881. Tucked between Mt Taranaki and the sea is a settlement of almost three thousand people. For the past two decades it has been a centre of political, ethical and religious thought in Aotearoa, a site of tino rangatiratanga in the wake of warfare and confiscation. Electric lights have been installed; councils held; a campaign of non-violent resistance maintained over several years. The settlement is Parihaka.

But just before daybreak, colonial soldiers are sighted nearby–Armed Constabulary and mounted rifles. Local media are arrested in an attempt to mask what is about to happen. So begins the Day of Plunder, what has been called “one of the worst infringements of civil and human rights ever committed and witnessed in this country.”

140 years later, 5 November is remembered as Parihaka Day. Dawn ceremonies are held at sites across the motu, and there are increasing calls for official recognition. As part of this, we recently reached out to Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa ki te Upoko o Te Ika a Māui Inc. Tiamana | Chairman Kura Moeahu to discuss the importance of Parihaka, and its powerful role in the country’s past and future.

Armed constabulary awaiting orders to advance on Parihaka Pa. Collis, William Andrews, 1853-1920 :Negatives of Taranaki. Ref: 10×8-1081. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23081905

Parihaka Day is coming up on 5 November. What could people do to mark it this year?

Kura Moeahu: Waking up at 4am and sitting quietly outside reflecting on what took place that morning on 5 November 1881, hearing the bugle in the distance from Pungarehu signalling 2000 soldiers to advance onto Parihaka, a peaceful village. The first to meet them were the children singing, skipping rope and playing only to be shunned and physically assaulted by the soldiers, horses and the guns the soldiers carried. Secondly, reflect about the women who met the soldiers with food and water and like their children were physically abused and the food knocked out of their hands, and in days that followed raped as payment to the soldiers and had to carry the whakama (shame) for the rest of their lives and the intergenerational trauma that followed that still exists today. And thirdly think about the men who were encouraged to sit quietly on the marae, as the soldiers surrounded them, placed a cannon up on the hill aimed down at them. Sitting quietly listing to the words and inspiring delivery of both Te Whiti and Tohu commanding the men not to retaliate, reminding them that “should the bayonet be put to your neck smite not in return for surely, we will be obliterated…”. You ask what people could do, simply rise at 4am on 5 November and reflect on the ordeal and strong resilience to not retaliate in the face of adversity.

How would you like to see Parihaka discussed in the recently updated school curriculum?

Kura Moeahu: Parihaka is only one part of the total Māori suppressive behaviour of another culture on ones rangatiratanga and tuakiritanga. To gain a deeper understanding of Parihaka one must go back and understand the historical impact of colonial and imperialism protocols of a foreign system and infrastructure from its arrival, the impact of Christianity and legislation speedily passed to maximise for the benefit for white colonial privileges.

Parihaka has been recognised as a forerunner of international non-violent resistance. How did this global connection begin, and how has it continued to develop?

Kura Moeahu: It emanated out of the actions of Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi, whom Ghandi studied and saw how powerful passive resistance and a strong Māori economy was supporting the towns around Taranaki. It continues to be developed through stories, and waiata. Within the rich waiata held by whanau, hapū and iwi allows for deeper analysis and examination through wananga that generates thoughts and the creation of Matauranga Māori.

Parihaka Pa. Collis, William Andrews, 1853-1920 :Negatives of Taranaki. Ref: 1/1-011758-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22789285

What current and future role do you think Parihaka has in terms of addressing climate change?

Kura Moeahu: It is encapsulated in the saying “Honour and glory to God on high, peace on earth and goodwill to all men”. Honour and glory to God on high reminds us to reconnect with our spiritual side. Peace on earth is the section dedicated to looking after our environment and taking care of the work. Goodwill to all men reminds us to care for everyone including our enemies.

How do you see Parihaka developing over the next decade?

Kura Moeahu: Developing tourism, education, health and environmental strategies, create opportunities for the people of Parihaka to tell their stories through visits, virtual 4D experience, usage of technology.

The Virus and the Vaccines

wclstaff

Unidentified woman having a polio vaccination at Hotel Cecil, Thorndon, Wellington. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1958/4125-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23259158

The Epidemic Arrives:

The first reports of the virus were in Auckland, with forty patients admitted to hospital at the start of November. By the end of the year cases had been discovered in Gisborne, Waikato and Taranaki, then Wellington six months later. Inter-island travel was restricted, but it didn’t help–the virus soon reached the South Island and overran the entire country.

Communities did what they could, closing beaches and pools. School was cancelled, replaced by nationwide correspondence classes via the radio. At the few public events that did go ahead, councils implemented social distancing rules–with a strict six feet between children at the Hamilton Christmas Parade.

While the above description may sound fairly recent, it in fact describes events in New Zealand between 1947 and 1949, when the country suffered one of its most significant outbreaks of infantile paralysis, what we now call polio.

The Eradication of Polio:

New Zealand had been experiencing polio epidemics–and the resulting lockdowns–for much of the twentieth century. For most of those who caught it, polio usually meant nothing more than a brief fever, but some suffered much more severe symptoms, including paraesthesia, paralysis–as well as life in an iron lung–and death.

By the early 1950s, demand for a vaccine was high. The virus that caused polio had first been isolated in 1908, but it wasn’t until 1931 that scientists discovered poliovirus had not one but three serotypes–vital knowledge for eventual vaccine production.

Three unidentified men holding a carton of Polio Vaccine, standing outside the Tasman Empire Airways Ltd office. Evening post (Newspaper. 1865-2002): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post newspaper. Ref: EP/1958/1019-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23192343

The first batch of vaccines arrived in New Zealand in 1956. Transport was difficult–the vaccines needed to be kept cold, so they made the trip from Britain in specially refrigerated containers. The first Salk polio vaccine was given on 21 September 1956, followed by the oral Sabin vaccine in 1961. By 1963, over two million New Zealanders had been vaccinated.

How successful were the polio vaccines? In 1955-1956, there had been 1,485 cases of polio in New Zealand; by 1962 the number had dropped to 5. Worldwide rollout of the vaccines has been described as “one of the most remarkable, and swiftest, health achievements of the twentieth century.”

Booklist:

Paralysed with fear : the story of polio / Williams, Gareth
“The story of mankind’s struggle against polio is compelling, exciting and full of twists and pardoxes. One of the grand challenges of modern medicine, it was a battleground between good and bad science. Gareth Williams takes an original view of the journey to understanding and defeating polio. ” (Catalogue)

Polio : an American story / Oshinsky, David M.
“Here David Oshinsky tells the gripping story of the polio terror and of the intense effort to find a cure, from the March of Dimes to the discovery of the Salk and Sabin vaccines–and beyond. Drawing on newly available papers of Jonas Salk, Albert Sabin and other key players, Oshinsky paints a suspenseful portrait of the race for the cure, weaving a dramatic tale centred on the furious rivalry between Salk and Sabin.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The health of nations: the campaign to end polio and eradicate epidemic diseases / Bartlett, Karen
“A world free of epidemic diseases might seem a utopian pipe-dream, but that brand new world is a lot closer than you might think. Bartlett give us a rare inside look at how both global organizations and local campaigns operate on the front lines in the war against contagious disease. She reveals how victory will have profound consequences for the balance of world power and will embolden scientists to make even more momentous breakthroughs.” (Catalogue)

Otiwhiti Station : the story of a hill country station and pioneering polio hospital
“The Duncan family have been farming Otiwhiti in the Turakina River valley since the 1880s. The backstory of the station is rich and fascinating, telling both the story of farming this unforgiving hill country and the remarkable family who have put their generosity and farm profits towards charitable projects, most notably the Duncan Hospital, which pioneered treatment for polio patients in the 1940s and 1950s.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Physicians, plagues, and progress : the history of western medicine from antiquity to antibiotics / Chapman, Allan
“Since the dawn of time, man has sought to improve his health and that of his neighbour. The human race, around the world, has been on a long and complex journey, seeking to find out how our bodies work, and what heals them. Embarking on a four-thousand-year odyssey, science historian Allan Chapman brings to life the origin and development of medicine and surgery.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Vaccines : what everyone needs to know / Feemster, Kristen A
“Vaccines: What Everyone Needs to Know® offers a scientifically grounded overview of the science, manufacture, and culture of vaccines in the United States and internationally. Aiming to offer an unbiased resource on this hotly debated subject, it provides accessible, authoritative overviews. Written by a leading authority in both infectious disease and vaccine education, this book offers a clear-eyed resource for parents or anyone with an interest in the use, efficacy, and controversy surrounding vaccines.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

On immunity : an inoculation / Biss, Eula
“Upon becoming a new mother, Eula Biss addresses a chronic condition of fear: fear of the government, the medical establishment, and what is in children’s food, mattresses, medicines, and vaccines. Biss investigates the metaphors and myths surrounding the conception of immunity and its implications for the individual and the social body. As she hears more and more fears about vaccines, Biss researches what they mean for her own child, her immediate community, America, and the world.” (Catalogue)

The best Australian science writing 2011
“From the elemental forces that drive our expanding universe to the delicate hairs on the back of your neck, science offers talented writers the kind of scope that other subjects simply cant match. This dynamic genre of Australian writing has never, until now, been showcased in an anthology.” (Catalogue)

Medicine : the definitive illustrated history / Parker, Steve
“Follow the greatest stories of medicine and its breakthroughs, with incredible coverage of disease, drugs, treatment, and cures. Medicine covers the gory pitfalls and miraculous breakthroughs of medical history from trepanning, bloodletting, and body snatching to brand new developments in IVF and gene therapy with compelling stories and illustrations. Clear diagrams explain major diseases and trace the progression of medical treatment through the centuries.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Learn More:

Health and Wellness Resource Centre: “Consumer health resource providing authoritative information on a full range of health-related issues, from current disease and disorder information to in-depth coverage of alternative medical practices.”

ProQuest Research Library: “Access to a wide range of scholarly journals, trade publications, magazines, and newspapers on popular academic subjects. The database includes more than 6,600 titles–over 5,000 in full text–from 1971 forward.”

Science in Context: “Contextual information on many significant science topics and showcases scientific disciplines that relate to real-world issues.”