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Rua's village, Maungapohatu.

documentary heritage
  • Description

    A dirt road flanked by buildings on both sides. Some structures made of wooden frames with canvas draped over, others with cladding of rough sawn timber. Figures of men, women and children stand along the road, bush behind buildings.

  • Other Id

    30037 (Presto content ID)

    PH-1976-6-16 (Reference Number)

    TR650 B775 (Library of Congress Call Number)

    PH-CNEG-C5883 (Copy negative number)

    32989 (DBTextworks system ID)

  • Department

    Photography

Images and documents

Images

    Catalogue

    • Object Type

      photograph

    • Name/Title
      Rua's village, Maungapohatu.
    • Primary Maker

       George Bourne (Photographer)

    • Date
      1908
    • Physical Description

      160 mm. x 211 mm (support)

    • Level of Current Record
      Child
    • Related Object Notes
      George Bourne Papers MS 793
      Letters MS 89/236
      Albums 327 and 328
      Essay 99/65
    • Is Part Of

      George Bourne Photographs

    • Media/Materials

      paper (fiber product)

    • Technique

      Gelatin silver print

      Silver print

      Monochrome photographic print

      Photographic techniques

    • Subject Category

      Maungapohatu (N.Z.)

    • Classification
      photographic prints/positives/photographs/AAT Visual Works
    • Provenance Details
      Ngaire Morgan,daughter of George Bourne
    • Public Access Text

      This photograph shows the main street of Rua's community. Rua's house is at the top of the rise, its roof still unfinished and calico over the windows. The double storey building below Rua's house was both a bank and an office. The construction of the buildings is split-paling, of pit sawn timber from Maungapohatu. This photograph is taken from 'Hiona', the courthouse, and some of Rua's followers are standing in the street.

      'Mihaia' : the Prophet Rua Kenana and his community at Maungapohatu, p.50.

      Rua Kenana Hepetipa, Tuhoe Prophet, considered himself the spiritual successor to Te Kooti, founder of the Ringatu faith. He founded a religious community at Maungapohatu the sacred mountain of the Tuhoe, where he was leader and prophet. Conflicts with the crown lead to his arrest under controversial circumstances. Rua was imprisoned for two years, then returned to his community continuing with his leadership until his death in 1937.

      George Bourne was born in Whanganui. In c1902 he started working for the 'Weekly News' as one of their photographic artists and travelled throughout New Zealand for the next twenty years in that capacity. He is well known for his series portraying the Maori prophet, Rua Kenana and his newly built community at Maungapohatu in 1908. He pioneered aerial photography through his friends the Walsh brothers and is also known for his comic photo montages.

    • Researcher Notes
      Mihaia : the prophet Rua Kenana and his community at Maungapohatu / Judith Binney, Gillian Chaplin, Craig Wallace. Oxford University Press, 1979, p.51.
    • Copyright
      Cultural permissions apply
    • Last Update
      12 May 2023

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