I wrote and illustrated Country Churches of New Zealand. It was published in 2002 by New Holland, Publishers and is still on sale in bookshops. The publishers have kindly agreed to me re-publishing some of the book’s images and descriptions in this blog.
ST. THOMAS'S, MAKETU
On one of the hottest days of the year I sat under a tree sipping picnic tea and contemplating the urn-topped monument presented by the colonial government in memory of their loyal servant chief Winiata Pekanui Tohi Te Ururangi who died repelling an attack by East Coast tribes in April 1864.He'd earlier had a blazing row with another chief, Te Amohau, over two stones which had been obtained from the foreshore to use as foundations for St Thomas's, Maketu. The fiery dispute led to inter-tribal war.
The church was finally built, after Te Ururangi's celebrated death, in 1868. While the oiled timbers of the nave ceiling were awaiting installation, children ran across them bare-footed. Nobody raised a memorial to the children, but you can still see their footprints.
© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz
.
No comments:
Post a Comment