1979: Misremembering Erebus

November 28, 2021

By AHNZ

Today in History, 28 November 1979, our Government (National 3.0) killed 257 New Zealanders by flying them into an Antarctic volcano named Mt Erebus. There is no memorial in New Zealand marking the disaster but our Government is hell-bent on ramming one down our throats. At the Parnell Rose Gardens(!?) [Edit: there is a memorial at Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland.]

Why do we need an Erebus crash memorial in the Parnell Rose Gardens?

I suspect we ‘need this one’ because some politician’s artist nephew needs a commission and some politician likes a photo op cutting the ribbon and placing the plaque. That’s all these things ever are.

In this case the sculptor of the Erebus monument, Warren Maxwell and Jason O’Hara, were sent to Antarctica as part of  Antarctica New Zealand’s community engagement program way back in 2016. Apparently it was so they could get to know the mountain better, and what it was like on the ice, to…better…empathise…with the dead? Massey is also the University that funded an artist to visit the Agassiz Glacier in order to shake her fist at it for art’s sake. The State has a long-term and heavy investment in jabbing this great metal thing into Parnell soil and don’t want something like consent to get in the way of that!

“The decision to grant consent to build a controversially located Erebus memorial in inner suburban Auckland without public debate has been labelled “terribly wrong” by local politicians and residents alike….”Our disappointment came a week ago when they decided not to publicly notify it.”- Controversial Auckland Erebus memorial gets resource consent for Parnell location in Dove-Myer Robinson Park, NZ Herald (2020)

“The two men from Massey’s College of Creative Arts spent nine days at Scott Base in October as part of Antarctica New Zealand’s Community Engagement programme.” – Antarctica visit enriches creative projects, Massey University (2016)

In an Anarchist society the locals would determine what happens on their own home range. There would be no central State to transform our parks or enforce art sculptures or history monuments upon people who did not want them.

Government forces Parnell community to accept multi-million dollar changes to their historic gardens…why? Auckland Airport would me more logical but I’m sure Auckland Airport would *hate* that. Very bad for business.

The clusterfrack started down in Mangere and ended off shore so what’s Parnell got to do with it? Until about a decade ago (certainly not in 1979) they were not even part of the same city!

“Northland resident David Ling…”It is distressing to see a small, self-appointed group of Parnell residents yet again selfishly and vociferously objecting….should be honest and admit that their objections are based purely on self-interest, false fears and not wanting any changes to what they see as their private park.” – Green light for Erebus memorial after three-year fight with locals, Newstalk Zb (2020)

The Rose Gardens are the Parnell communities’ park! The government talks big about “Localism” but really seek to obliterate diversity and community territory in favor of communising and homogenising all people and places.

“Construction was supposed to start in October but was delayed by protesters, many of whom have erected tents at the site, blocking their vehicles from entering the park.” – Erebus memorial: Protesters handed eviction notices, tents pulled down, Stuff (2021)

“Protesters have been occupying the site since February, …The group said the Chief Ombudsman is days away from releasing an independent report on the consent process arising from complaints about the Ministry for Culture and Heritage and the Auckland Council handling of the matter.” – Action taken against protesters opposed to Erebus memorial at Parnell in Auckland, NZ Herald (2021)

“Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is reassuring whānau of those killed in the Erebus disaster that construction of a memorial will go ahead despite protests…Auckland mayor Phil Goff said he was “distressed” at the ongoing delays protests had caused to work on the memorial.” – Prime minister ‘absolutely committed’ to National Erebus Memorial construction, despite protests, Stuff (2021)

“That the relevant ministry has shown itself willing to flout a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei rāhui, protecting an ancient pa site and a centuries-old põhutukawa, and ignore the Ombudsman’s request to give him time to look into the matter, suggests a wish to get construction of the Erebus memorial under way so it will be harder to stop. It does not suggest confidence in the project, a hideous concrete and steel structure quite inappropriate in the chosen Judges Bay/Dove Myer Robinson Memorial site. Fortunately, locals have rallied against it and for the moment it appears to be on hold. Perhaps Jacinda could take her eye off the pandemic just long enough to cure this malaise with the stroke of a pen.” – C. K. Stead, Parnell; Letters to Editor, NZ Herald (21 October 2021)

This is not about Erebus.

It’s about the government wanting a pretense to blow some more of our money on constructions and stamp their foot down to mark their hegemony. The State has the local iwi lined up, the Erebus families (some of,) the Waitemata Local Board, Auckland City Council, and even Executive Government, and, obviously, the ‘news’ media. It’s a real David and Goliath battle. Who does a community and its territory belong to? Does it belong to its people who live there? Or, does it belong to outsiders, to Government? If The State can plonk a great gleaming monument at your place that has nothing to do with you and no consent from you then we have our answer.

This, of course, is not what was promised when The Borough of Parnell (1877) was amalgamated into the Mega City Monster of Auckland City.

Changing The Branding

The community groups standing up to The State are Save Robbies Park and Protect Mataharehare. The second page seems to be replacing the first on the grounds that Maori’ing up the branding tends to get more sympathetic results in the current era.

The State has been working for about 5 years to give The Parnell Rose Gardens ‘the jab’ of a big metal sculpture but the community has resisted. At first the community styled themselves ‘Save Robbies Park’ and their rights as a community. Why should Parnell be forced to host a huge national monument against its own will for something that happened in another city or even another continent?

My opinion is that the group is now backing down on standing up for their community rights directly and honestly.

“We are working to preserve the spirit of Mataharehare in perpetuity, including Te Hā, the great Pōhutukawa Tupuna and other notable trees…ena koutou katoa! Nau mai, haere mai! -We encourage you to engage in our community. However, please be tika and pono. Know that we will review all comments and remove any that are inappropriate or offensive. Abusive or offensive comments or language will not be tolerated and will be removed. So will repeat [sic] keyboard warriors from our page which is starting anew with a fresh team of hearts and minds serving this kaupapa.” – Protect Mataharehare, Facebook

The new tack taken is to “Protect Mataharehare” as Maori historic site, including their big old tree, and for ecological reasons and for future generations of children. It sounds rather as if someone from one of the many Parnell PR and advertising agencies down the road has come to ‘help’.

So now, even if the group win, it will not be a win for community or New Zealander’s civic rights. It will now be a win in a Trial By Combat between political spin doctors. A Pyrrhic victory, even if they are successful with their barefoot children and bejeweled brown people. I’d rather they lose the fight but retained their identity in the process than give up on who they were to win one battle.

—
Image ref. ‘The winning design, Te Paerangi Ataata; Sky Song, is by Studio Pacific Architecture in collaboration with artists Jason O’Hara and Warren Maxwell.’; NZ Herald (2020) 

Image ref. Warren Maxwell and Jason O’Hara were sent all the way to Antarctica in 2016 as part of the investment in the controversial sculpture; Massey University (2016)

Like    Comment     Share