Monumental Inscriptions as Records
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26686/arch.10687Keywords:
Inscriptions -- Archival resources, Inscriptions -- Historiography, War memorials, New Zealand -- Lower Hutt, Māori (New Zealand people) -- Wars, New Zealand -- History -- New Zealand Wars, 1843-1847, Ngāti Haua (New Zealand people), Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Hāua te Rangi, Ngāti Hāua, Ngāti Hauā, Kūpapa, Taipūwhenuatanga, Pakanga, Tohu maumaharaAbstract
This article discusses questions about inscriptions on monuments as historical records, closely examining the situation of a monument in Lower Hutt erected in 1925 and commemorating British soldiers who died on 16 May 1846 in the 'Battle of Boulcott's Farm'. The circumstances of the 1846 clash between Ngāti-Hauā-te-Rangi Māori from Whanganui and colonial forces are outlined. The monument came to be financed and raised during the 1920s, while World War One memorials were being raised. The unveiling and the later building of a fence around the memorial is also discussed. The article outlines how the wording on the memorial was created and looks at the placement of the monument in relation to the events of the Battle. Possible inaccuracies are examined, such as in alternate spellings of names and ranks of the fallen, the location of the monument and resting place of the casualties, people left off the monument, and bias in the wording. Conclusions are drawn on retaining monumental inscriptions as they are as part of the historical record, providing further context.
Metadata reused from the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa under a CC BY 4.0 license.
