September 06, 2012
New tome tells tales of Taranaki taonga
Some of the taonga held in New Plymouth’s Puke Ariki Museum have just got more accessible with the publication of a new book by social history curator Andrew Moffat.
Flashback: Tales and Treasures of Taranaki, was launched last night.
The 321-page book includes everything from surfing to Swanndris.
He says one of the most fascinating stories was about the waka on display at the museum.
The unfinished waka was found in bush east of Eltham in 1973 and artist John Bevan Ford was commissioned to finish it and give it a decorative stern and prow.
Those additions were removed when it was shifted from the old Taranaki Museum to Puke Ariki.