Te Papa's Director Of History & Pacific Cultures

11 November 2003

MEDIA RELEASE

DR CLAUDIA ORANGE APPOINTED AS TE PAPA'S DIRECTOR OF HISTORY AND PACIFIC CULTURES

Te Papa's Chief Executive, Dr Seddon Bennington, announced today the appointment of Dr Claudia Orange as Te Papa's Director of History and Pacific Cultures.

Dr Orange is a highly regarded historian with a distinguished career in this field. She has most recently been the General Editor of the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, a position she has held since 1990. Dr Orange was also Acting Chief Historian at the Department of Internal Affairs from 1977 to 2000, and has worked on the new, on-line encyclopaedia of New Zealand for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Dr Orange was a history lecturer at the University of Auckland from 1975 to 1983 and received the University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1997.

Dr Orange has published widely on aspects of the Treaty of Waitangi, including The Treaty of Waitangi Allen and Unwin, 1987 and The Story of a Treaty Allen and Unwin, 1989, and An Illustrated History of the Treaty of Waitangi Allen and Unwin, 1990.

Dr Orange was awarded the OBE in 1993.

Dr Bennington said today Claudia Orange brings an extensive knowledge of New Zealand and Pacific history to this new position.

"Claudia will lead Te Papa's historical research, curatorial and collection management teams and is keen to strengthen Te Papa's relationships and collaborative opportunities with related organisations and communities including the Pacific Island communities in New Zealand and the Pacific", said Dr Bennington.

ENDS

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