Story: Anniversaries

Ōtaki jubilee pole

Ōtaki jubilee pole

An unidentified group stands in front of the jubilee pole opposite Rangiātea Church in Ōtaki. The pole had been erected in 1880 to commemorate 40 years since the beginning of the Christian mission on the Kapiti coast, and was painted with the years between 1840 and 1880. The statue behind was also erected the same year to the memory of Te Rauparaha on the instigation of his son, Tāmihana Te Rauparaha. Once Europeans brought the Western calendar to New Zealand, Māori quickly adopted the idea of recognising anniversaries. 

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: 1/2-100567-G

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Jock Phillips, 'Anniversaries - Early celebrations and Queen Victoria’s jubilees', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/43003/otaki-jubilee-pole (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Jock Phillips, published 20 Jun 2012