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The central event is the Tuia 250 Voyage – a journey of national significance showcasing the Pacific, Māori and European voyaging that brought us together. A flotilla of waka hourua, va’a tipaerua and tall ships sails the coast from October to December 2019, landing at community events where you can visit the vessels.
Follow the Tuia 250 voyage
Te Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage wants to hear your view about introducing a resale royalty scheme for visual artists in New Zealand. Royalty schemes are in place in over 80 countries including Australia. These schemes see visual artists or their estates receive a payment from secondary sales of their works in New Zealand, and in countries that have reciprocal agreements. Te Manatū Taonga will use the information from the survey to inform policy on the possibility of an ARR in New Zealand. We want to hear from artists and people involved in the art market, as well as anyone with an interest in the production, sale and appreciation of visual art. You must be at least 18 years old to participate in this survey. Click below to participate in this short confidential survey.
Artists Resale Royalty Public Feedback Survey
Come along to a free concert at Pukeahu's National War Memorial this Sunday 8 December at 3pm featuring the Harbour Capital Chorus, a men's a capella singing group. They sing four part harmony in the barbershop style, which they've been doing this since their foundation 30 years ago They have a wide repertoire of modern and classic songs. For this concert at Pukeahu they focus on traditional Christmas carols.
Free performance by the Harbour Capital Chorus
The NZ Music Commission are incredibly sad to hear the news of Arthur Baysting passing away on 03 December. Arthur was a true champion of local music and his loss will be felt across Aotearoa and further afield.
NZ Music Commission acknowledges the passing of Arthur Baysting
Actor, writer, director and producer, Nancy Brunning was recognised for her contribution to Māori arts this week at the 2019 Te Waka Toi Awards held in Rotorua on Saturday night. Awarded the Te Tohu Kē a Te Waka Toi award for significant, positive impact on the development and practice of Ngā Toi Māori, Nancy was aware of the award before her death.
Nancy Brunning honored at Te Waka Toi Awards
Acclaimed Australian conductor and Handel scholar Graham Abbott returns to conduct the NZSO’s annual must-see performance of the masterwork Messiah on Wellington on Saturday 07 December.
Star line-up of singers and conductor for NZSO’s Messiah in Wellington
The exhibition celebrates the screen history of English author Lewis Carroll’s timeless stories —Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871) — in an experiential exhibition. Opens at Te Papa on Saturday 07 December.
“Spectacular” Wonderland exhibition to open at Te Papa
This year marked the 40th anniversary of the Erebus accident and the New Zealand government has undertaken to construct a national memorial that acknowledges the loss to the families and the nation. The proposed site for the memorial is Auckland’s Dove-Myer Robinson Park. Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage is leading the project.
National Erebus Memorial
Most New Zealanders who lived through the 1970s and 1980s will remember the phrase ‘the money or the bag?’ Quizmaster Selwyn Toogood is one of the 13 new biographies added to the Ministry's Dictionary of New Zealand Biography this month.
13 new entries added to the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography

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Kāinga Te tuakiri, te taonga tuku iho o Aotearoa Ngā whakamaharatanga me ngā huritau

Commemorations & anniversaries

In 2014, the Government updated its earlier commemorations policy, agreed in 2009/10 in recognition of the need for a co-ordinated approach between agencies to mark particularly important events and anniversaries, and to ensure better forward planning for these big events.

The updated commemorations policy categorises these anniversaries as either Tier 1 or Tier 2 national events. The Tier 1 list consists of anniversaries of events which had a significant impact on the nation as a whole or on the pattern of New Zealand life; an example being the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

The Tier 2 list is made up of anniversaries of events which were highly important but not of the same nation-changing magnitude. Nationally-significant anniversaries, whether Tier 1 or Tier 2, typically refer to anniversaries that are a multiple of 25 (25th, 50th, 75th, 100th anniversaries, and so on). 

Visit the Commemorations 2014-2020 page to view the full listing of events.

The following events for 2019 were authorised by the Government in 2014. Please note that this is an indicative list and may be subject to review.

2019 Tier 1 events

250th anniversary of the first meetings of Māori and Europeans between James Cook and Tahitian chief and navigator Tupaia. Visit our Tuia - Encounters 250 website for more details.

100th anniversary of the Treaty of Versailles and peace celebrations (1919)

NZHistory - The legacy of war

WW100 - New Zealand at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference

MCH media release - Youth debate to mark centenary of the Treaty of Versailles

2019 Tier 2 events

200th anniversary of the first planting of fruit frees and wine grapes

NZHistory - New Zealand's first grapevines planted?

Te Ara - History of viticulture in New Zealand

NZ Wine - Celebrating 200 years of New Zealand wine and beyond

150th anniversary of the founding of New Zealand's first university - University of Otago

University of Otago - 150th anniversary celebrations events

MCH news item - Otago University – New Zealand’s first founded 150 years ago

100th anniversary of New Zealand joining the International Labour Organisaton

Mentioned in MCH media release - Youth debate to mark centenary of the Treaty of Versailles

75th anniversary of the abolition of the poll tax on Chinese migrants

NZHistory - Poll tax on Chinese immigrants abolished

Te Ara - Poll tax certificate

Additional commemorations

Details about various New Zealand historic events and anniversaries can be found on our NZHistory and Te Ara —The Encyclopedia of New Zealand websites.

NZHistory

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Raa Maumahara National Day of Commemoration will be held on October 28th each year. The first inaugural event took place in 2017. Visit Te Puni Kōkiri's website for more details about Te Pūtake o te Riri | Wars and Conflicts in New Zealand Fund.

Te Pūtake o te Riri | Wars and Conflicts in New Zealand Fund

Updated on 7th October 2019