Plenty on offer for Beca Heritage Week this Labour Weekend

This year’s Beca Heritage Week features over 70 events that explore how peace and conflict have shaped Christchurch with activities ranging from exhibitions, tours and lectures, to concerts, dance and film events.

A good range of activities is on offer this long weekend including Tanks Trains and Trumpets at Ferrymead Heritage Park on Sunday and Monday. For two days the Heritage Park will move to the sights and sounds of tanks and trumpets. There will be music, dancing, demonstrations, displays, games, and a huge range of vehicles plus a grand parade.

Margaret Copland brings stories of historic Lyttelton to life in her tour of the township, with the final tour on Sunday. Taking on the character of former gaol matron Eliza Reston, Copland provides a glimpse into Lyttelton’s past in peace and war – from conscientious objectors to the 1918 flu epidemic. For a look into the lives of soldiers from the Little River district, visit the Coronation Library at the Little River Domain on Monday to view their honour boards and a collection of their photographs.

There will also be a weekend of festivities at Stoddart’s Cottage this coming weekend. The historic cottage in Diamond Harbour will be the scene an exhibition, a sharing of wartime memories, a screening of Casablanca in the evening and a Victoria afternoon tea.

The aim of Heritage Week is to raise awareness of the part Christchurch and its citizens have played in both peace and conflict, to celebrate important anniversaries and to recognise how this has shaped the city and its heritage.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says heritage is not just about buildings. “Heritage is about people, their connections, their stories. The theme for this year’s festival is very much a recognition of the part Christchurch and its people have played in peace and in conflict over time.

“Heritage helps to create communities by connecting us to neighbourhoods, social groups and the city as a whole through its physical, cultural, emotional, intellectual and spiritual aspects.

“It  provides continuity in a constantly changing society and environment, recognising  where our communities have come from and allowing us an  understanding of the present,  in order to plan for the future,” he said.

Bob Blyth Project Director for Beca says “The diversity of events this year has been stunning and Beca are really proud to be part of this community festival of heritage in Christchurch.’’

The week opened last Friday with the premiere of a documentary Citizen Soldier - ake ake kia kaha: forever strong that looks back over the past 150 years of the Second Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Battalion Group. The documentary made specifically to support this year’s theme will be screened at the Christchurch Art Gallery throughout the Week including tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. 

Swing Time In Christchurch at the Air Force Museum, held on Sunday 18 October, was a huge success with many saying it has been one of the biggest and best Heritage Week events to date. With a crowd of over 500 people in attendance, the hangar at Wigram was full with an audience entertained by the Newstalk ZB Big Band and local artists singing songs of old. The swing dance duo Sweet'n'Hot livened up the crowd who all kicked up their heels at the end of the show.

The exhibition at Our City O-Tautahi titled Never be afraid: A New Zealand soldier’s story to his niece of life in a prisoner of war camp runs until 21 November but has already had a large number of visitors. The unique account of the day-to-day activities of Dudley Muff, a New Zealand prisoner of war held in a German prisoner of war camp has been an eye-opener for many people. One visitor went home and found her father had also been in the same camp as Dudley and was grateful that Dudley's story provided a valuable record that she could now connect to her own father's experience.

Bailies Bar Heritage Quiz was another highlight of the Week with curly questions from the Quiz Master and entertainment by the Court Jesters. The Titans of Trivia took out this year’s trophy but only after a suspense filled tie-breaker round with the Die Hard Defenders.

There is still a chance to enter the Windows into our Past competition. Windows is an exciting collaborative event between the Council, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and the Canterbury Museum in which 14 historic buildings around Christchurch will house plasma screens showcasing images and footage from Canterbury Museum and National Archives. In addition to this entertaining and educational programme there is the opportunity to have your family’s historic photographs and slides digitised with five Hanafins Shoebox slide and print scanning vouchers up for grabs.

Many of our the Beca Heritage Week community events have also been successful - the Onawe Pa guided walk was booked up immediately and a large number turned out for the Cemetery Tours.

Beca Heritage Week is sponsored by Beca, the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Community Trust, The Star and NewstalkZB.

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