Tuesday 28 June 2016

June 1968 from the Rotorua Photo News

A snapshot of Rotorua June 1968

Were you here in 1968? Do the following images resonate with you? Perhaps you are in one of the photographs? If so please email Rotorua District Library with your memories, we would love to hear from you and perhaps share your photographs from this era of Rotorua's  past. Library Email 

From : Rotorua Photo News, No. 57, 8 June 1968, p 67.

The Rotorua Photo News was published from 1963 to 1971 and has some wonderful images of Rotorua and what the community was up to during that period. You may even be in the magazine but your name has not been published if so please let us know.  Our copies of the Photo News are reference only, but if you want to while away a few minutes (or hours) they are a fascinating snapshot of Rotorua's history.  The originals of Jack Lang's photographs are now owned by the Rotorua Museum, so if you find yourself in the magazine, you can request a copy from the Museum, as long as you can quote the exact date and edition of the Photo News.

Friday 17 June 2016

Iconic Building Rotorua

Hennessy's Irish Bar 

This iconic historic building is currently being demolished. It was built in 1910 for George French a local merchant and was known as French's Building for many years. 

During it's lifetime it has housed a number of other businesses as well as French's own, Hitchen & Johnstone, Drapers, Wool Shop etc. c1936- ; Clarken Ltd. China, Hardware etc. c1936-: A.T. Coates Bookseller to 1943, McLeod's Booksellers c1943- ; Heidi's Cafe & Patisserie c1990s and finally Hennessey's Irish Bar and upstairs Blarneys Rock - Rotorua Backpackers and Accommodation.



Photo by Alison Leigh, Digital Information Librarian, 15/06/2016


Photo by Alison Leigh, Digital Information Librarian, 16/06/2016



Thursday 9 June 2016

Celebrating Matariki

Rotorua celebrates Matariki





Click this link to see what's on : Mataariki Events Calendar


The main event :



There are also lots of books and websites available that tell the Matariki story : Here are just a few...

Matariki by Melanie Drewery.
Matariki by Sharon Holt.
Matariki: Pacific New Year by Maori Language Commission.
The little Kiwi's Matariki by Nikki Slade Robinson.
Celebrating the southern seasons: rituals for Aotearoa by Juliet Batten.

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/matariki-maori-new-year
https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/learn/matariki-maori-new-year
http://www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/matariki