Aratoi launches '50 / Fifty: 50 years of Aratoi' on its 50th birthday, Friday, 11 October 2019.
Proudly designed, produced and printed in Wairarapa, this richly illustrated book will be a keepsake for every Wairarapa
family and those interested in the art and history of the museum. Aratoi offers a special pre-sale rate from October 1st
– 10th, when purchased directly from the museum.
The book features taonga in the Aratoi collection, with beautiful photographs and captivating stories of Wairarapa and
beyond – a pair of huia (with the last reported sighting in the local Tararuas); tiki of bone, pounamu and also of
celluloid and paua; a mah-jong set made with scrap wood and plastic from toothbrushes – among other materials – by
Japanese prisoners of war in Featherston; Poem by Colin McCahon; wood engraving by E. Mervyn Taylor whose murals are a part of Masterton’s heritage, 17th century
ceramics from Turkey; and a range of fine work by Wairarapa, national and international artists, colonial, modern and
contemporary.
Aratoi as an institution is “made in Wairarapa” – it was founded by members of the local community in 1969 and it
continues to be supported locally: by the three Wairarapa Councils, by Masterton Trust Lands Trust and Trust House, by
local companies and organisations, by Friends of Aratoi members, by the invaluable daily assistance of volunteers, and
by the thousands of visitors who come.
50 / Fifty: 50 Years of Aratoi
Retails at $59.95, available from October 11
$50 pre-order special – “50 years for $50”
Must be fully paid between Oct 1-10; $10 postage (tracked) to anywhere in NZ.
Payment by credit card, cheque or bank deposit [Aratoi Regional Trust 03 -0687-0339253-000,
Ref: BOOK and your name. Please ensure to provide address details if posted]
Limited edition of 450
152 pages, stitched, Full-colour illustrations, Foiled cover
ISBN 978-0-473-49560-2
Editing: Lydia Wevers
Writing: Gregory O'Brien, Jill Trevelyan, Lizzie Bisley, Sian van Dyk, Bronwyn Reid, Susanna Shadbolt
Translation: Wawaro Te Whaiti
Graphic design: Geoff Francis, Goodeye
Photography: John Casey, Bruce Foster
Printing: Printcraft, Masterton
Publication Launch: Friday 11 October, 5.30pm. MC: Gregory O’Brien.
All writers in attendance, and pre-paid books can be collected on the night for signing.
For more information about the 50th anniversary programme, visit: