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Carolyn McKenzie is the chair of Thames Museum Society Inc, which manages Te Whare Taonga O Te Kauaeranga Thames Museum, and has written several articles for Coromind.
When and why did you move to the Coromandel Peninsula?
We used to go camping at Port Jackson, and later we’d stop for lunch at Aeroview café on the way Whangamata. I eventually moved here in 2015. I’d recently visited Kaiaua, and looking across the Firth saw the sun reflecting off Thames and decided I wanted to retire here.
What’s the best part about living in Thames?
The best part is being close to the sea, watching the oystercatchers come and go, friendly people and a town that is “lived” all year round.
Have you always had an interest in history?
Yes. I loved history and geography at school. When I taught English as a foreign language and did translation work in Italy for 30 years I was totally immersed in Roman and medieval history.
Do you find that there is a greater interest nowadays in our history as a nation and as an area/town?
I think there is. Our history is told in a less pakeha/settler-centric way, giving more weight to life here before contact with Europeans and evaluating the impact of that contact.
Locally, the move away from the gateway image of Thames to a destination – through the Explore Thames initiative – has awakened an interest in every aspect of our town’s history.
Where does Thames Museum sit in the overall heritage sector here in Thames and how do you evaluate TCDC support for the heritage sector?
Thames Museum Te Whare Taonga o te Kauaeranga is an active member of Thames Heritage Network. This sees the various heritage sites coming together as colleagues rather than competitors, from Bella Street Pumphouse, the Goldmine Experience, the School of Mines, the Treasury, etc to the WJ Hall Arboretum, historic cemeteries and pioneer churches. Thames Community Board and council have been supportive of the museum, enabling us to carry out a number of projects.
Going forward, we would like to see sustained funding equity across the heritage sector; greater recognition of the contribution all tourism sectors make to the whole town’s well-being, especially eateries, accommodation, boutique and specialty shops; and greater involvement in maintaining outdoor heritage sites, eg the historic cemeteries. Genealogy is a thriving hobby – safe access to Tararu and Shortland Cemeteries is essential for family history researchers.
From a museum perspective, what would you name your greatest achievement?
I was involved with the creation of the Taonga Māori Gallery. Our team worked with Ngāti Maru for 18 months to create a very special place for people from the area to connect with their ancestors. The gallery is recognised now as a space for learning and participation for school children and people from all around the world.
What do you do when you’re not volunteering at Thames Museum? How does Carolyn McKenzie relax?
I’m a member of Friends of Historic Kōpū Bridge. I love being on the bridge and am helping to paint 846 metres of rails. I have two books partly written but don’t have much time for creative writing now.
Go into museum nerd mode and tell us what your absolute favourite item on display is.
In the morning, before turning on the gallery lights, I love the way filtered light shines on the model pā in the Taonga Māori Gallery so that it’s sleeping but alive. With the lights on, I enjoy talking to visitors about pā life, and what that entailed.
Supported by Rob Holding
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