National Memorials are decided upon by the New Zealand Government for those events, relationships, or persons who have had a "significant impact" on the country. There are 13 National Memorials in New Zealand and a further 8 overseas. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH) is responsible for 20 of those National Memorials. The remaining National Memorial, the Abel Tasman Monument, was transferred from MCH to the Department of Conservation in 2020.[1]
Domestic National Memorials edit
There are 13 National Memorials located in New Zealand:
| Name | Image | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abel Tasman Monument | 
|
Tarakohe 40°49′16″S 172°54′09″E / 40.8212°S 172.9026°E | The Abel Tasman Monument is a memorial to the first recorded contact between Europeans—led by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman—and Māori in New Zealand's Golden Bay on 18 and 19 December 1642. It was unveiled on the tercentenary of the encounter by the prime minister, several government ministers, and a Dutch delegation. The monument was designed by the architect Ernst Plischke as an abstracted sail, and consists of a large concrete monolith painted white. Located on a bluff at Tarakohe just east of Pōhara, the land for the monument was gifted by the Golden Bay Cement Company. The dignitaries opened the Abel Tasman National Park the following day and the area holding the monument is part of the national park. As was typical for the 1940s, the original inscription focused on the European experience only and overlooked the Māori perspective, demonstrating Western-centric systemic bias. |
| Atatürk Memorial, Wellington | 
|
Wellington | |
| Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial | 
|
Christchurch | |
| Coates Memorial Church | Matakohe | ||
| Cook Monument, Thames | Thames | ||
| Fraser Memorial, Karori Cemetery | 
|
Wellington | |
| Peter Fraser Statue | .JPG)
|
Wellington | |
| Holyoake Memorial | 
|
Wellington | |
| Kirk Memorial | Waimate | ||
| Massey Memorial | 
|
Wellington | |
| Pukeahu National War Memorial Park | 
|
Wellington | |
| Savage Memorial | 
|
Auckland | |
| Seddon Memorial | .JPG)
|
Wellington | |
| Tangiwai Memorial, Karori Cemetery | Wellington | The Tangiwai Memorial at Karori Cemetery was designed by Gordon Wilson in his role as government architect. The memorial was opened on 26 March 1957.[2] |
International National Memorials edit
Most of the National Memorials outside of New Zealand are war memorials:
| Name | Image | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chunuk Bair, Turkey | |||
| Jean Batten Memorial, Majorca[3] | |||
| Le Quesnoy, France | |||
| Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial | |||
| Longueval, France (Caterpillar Valley Cemetery) | |||
| New Zealand Memorial in Korea[4] | |||
| New Zealand War Memorial, London | |||
| S'Gravenstafel, Belgium[5] |
References edit
- ^ "Graves and memorials / Ngā rua tūpāpaku ā-hītori, ā-pakanga hoki". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ "Tangiwai memorial dedication". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ Memorial plaque in cemetery in Majorca where Jean Batten is buried
- ^ NZ Memorial in Korea
- ^ New Zealand Expeditionary Force