‘Three Tractors Ago…’ A New Exhibition Opening At Waitangi

A new exhibition, ‘Three Tractors Ago…’ is opening in the upstairs exhibition gallery at Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi on Saturday 3 September. The exhibition highlights some of the major building and maintenance works undertaken at Waitangi Treaty Grounds since 1934. The exhibition features 54 photos from a photography collection that has not been shown before, as well as a watercolour painting from Waitangi’s Heritage Collection.

The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the work of behind-the-scenes staff and contractors, from replanting native trees to craning Kupe off the roof of Te Whare Rūnanga, learning what was involved in lifting the roof off the waka shelter, and the best place to source toetoe in Northland. The photographs also reveal a glimpse of the connection between the place, and the people who have worked here to look after its heritage and taonga.

‘Three Tractors Ago…’ has been curated by Waitangi Treaty Grounds Curatorial Manager Caitlin Timmer-Arends. She is excited to share the collection with the public for the first time: “People will be able to view historic photographs of people that have made up the fabric of Waitangi Treaty Grounds. The name ‘Three tractors ago…’ is credited to our Head Groundsman Barry Keyzer, who on seeing a photograph included in the exhibition exclaimed ‘I remember when that happened, that was three tractors ago”.

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