You know that box of old meeting minutes shoved under your bed, gathering dust?
The Motueka Historical Association wants them.
Local historian Coralie Smith is reminding the community that old records and archives might seem dreary or redundant, but they are often treasured historical taonga for the district.
Coralie has been involved in the association for 20 years, and she says she is keen to make people aware there is a place for these items.
The society, accessed through the Motueka District Museum, is open on Tuesdays from 10am to 3pm.
Fellow historian Maureen Dabinett has been involved for 10 years and says she has learned a lot through her work.
“I’m just amazed by the information I’ve found about the district, just working in here, and how many people are related to one another.”
Members of the public are welcome to drop in and delve into the scrupulously-categorised records, which range from tobacco farming and local ships to Motueka’s bygone milk bars, churches and founding families. The team can also do some digging on behalf of the public, for a fee of $5, or $15 per hour for major research.
When asked how old something is to be considered historically valuable, the pair laughingly answer “yesterday”.
“If it’s starting to get put into folders, packed into cupboards or put under someone’s bed, that’s old enough,” Coralie elaborates.
Occasionally, items offered are not suitable for the collection, but nothing is disposed of without the owner’s knowledge. An object receipt form records what will happen next. Some people ask for their items back, while others are simply grateful for a second opinion before letting them go.
Coralie describes the joy that people have in reading organisation minutes that list their ancestors’ names. “That’s the thrill.”
Maureen agrees that there are many treasured discoveries to be found among the documents, with colourful snippets emerging from the past.
“They didn’t know they played cricket or were in a band,” she says of people who have uncovered such details about their families.
The association has 30 members, but the research group has only four, all of whom are well into retirement age.
“We’ll keep going ‘til we gasp,” Coralie laughs. After all, she says, history keeps you young.
New members are very welcome, and they would love some help to digitise more of the many thousands of documents, as well as assist with technology to transcribe recorded histories.
And yes, Coralie confirms with a smile, the committee has indeed kept all of its own minutes.
For more information, contact motuekahistorical@gmail.com.
