1898: Easter Encampment at Westport

April 11, 2022

By AHNZ

Today in history, 11 April, 1898, a great gathering of Nelson Defense District volunteers were camped at Westport. A sort of scouting jamboree but not for kids, for adult men. And not just scouting, but all aspects of kicking arse and defending our nation. Similar encampments were simultaneously occurring at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.

Even though provinces had been abolished by central government, we still had strong regional identity back then. We organised our own defense force.

This was later taken over by central government as well. However, the assembled men apparently required permission from the Defense Department for events like this since the Nelson College Cadets, for example, were refused permission to attend.¹

“The camp in situated on the south bank of the Buller river, in some clear paddocks, and presents a neat and comfortable appearance. The catering arrangements are first-class, and the visiting corps should be pleased with the accommodation provided.” – Nelson Evening Mail, Papers Past

“The total strength of the forces in camp in New Zealand this Easter was about 3500. For the Auckland, Wellington, Caristcburch and Dunedin encampments the average muster was over 700, and there were over 450 troops under canvas at Westport.” – New Zealand Times, Papers Past

Nearer our own time defending New Zealand was outsourced to a popular song ‘God Defend New Zealand’ sung at sporting matches. Also, we rely on those who still have a military to defend us. In exchange, we…umm…lecture them about the military industrial complex. Quid pro quo?

This 1890s interest in martial activity was the Physical Culture phase that tends to be a prelude to a new era of Honor Culture. Such a temperament is really the cause of war and will go looking for one and in this case it found one: Boer War Honour Culture. The Prime Minister of the day, Richard Seddon, referred to this Easter event as a “revival” which it certainly was². Looking back on the prior 20 year cycle we find a culmination of New Zealanders gathering to put down Parihaka, and 20 years before that were, of course the Maori Wars. The Great War was less than 20 years away which is why, for New Zealand, it came too soon and ours was a fumbling start at Gallipoli for a people still set to Slave Culture when Honor Culture was calling. In the early 2020s New Zealand is in Slave Culture too and volunteer military encampments such as the above are unthinkable. However, it will not be too many more years before these or their like again experience a revival and will be considered totally normal.

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1 Ref. Nelson Evening Mail, Papers Past

2 Auckland was singled out as a revival. Plenty of evidence that other districts had been keeping up these Easter Encampments for some years past though the lead-up to the turn of the century seems to have been a surge

Image ref. volunteer encampment Westport, Easter Monday April 11th 1898, print by H T LOCK, taken from top of McPADDENs Hill; Brian Ryan Collection; Kete West Coast

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