October has been a month rich in presentations, connections and cultural exchange. From sharing the New Zealand experience on the Western Front with an audience at Australia’s Sir John Monash Centre in the Somme, to hosting a lecture in Le Quesnoy by our colleagues at Veteran Affairs Canada, we have reflected on the bonds that connect us with our Commonwealth Allies – friendships forged on the battlegrounds of the First World War that continue to unite us today.
A little further afield, Te Arawhata was present this month at Aotearoa Ocean Racing’s Symposium in Lorient – a yachting conference designed to explore state-of-the-art off-shore sailing technology. Here we contributed to the discussion about the relationship between France and New Zealand and it was a privilege to see how the ties between our countries flourish today through our shared interest in this innovative field. You can learn more about Jacob’s time in Lorient here.
Back at Te Arawhata, Compagnie Macadâne took us around the world, and as far as New Zealand, via their “Caravan of Curiosities”. In our second collaboration with local theatre company, la Compagnie 2Ls, audiences were enchanted by the quirky and interactive presentation which animated the museum forecourt for a weekend, inciting many to discover the Museum.
Finally, the most stunning connection came a little by surprise. Steve Tritt is the great nephew of Peter Kean, one of the New Zealand soldiers killed in Le Quesnoy on 4 November 1918. When Steve got in touch to tell Peter’s story, the name rang a bell – I remembered that Museum volunteer and Quericitain (Le Quesnoy local), Christian Basuyau, had talked about his great grandfather’s discovery of several pieces of equipment belonging to a fallen soldier out in the ramparts. Those pieces, which are now on display at the Le Quesnoy Historical Circle, belonged to Peter Kean.
I was honoured to put Christian and Steve in touch, and to bear witness to the two of them connecting via video call over this remarkably serendipitous shared history. Despite the technical difficulties and the language barrier, it was a joy to hear the passion and care they both hold for this very living memory
With November around the corner – a very special time for us in Le Quesnoy, the team at Te Arawhata are busy preparing to mark the 107 years since the liberation of the town. I hope to see you for our commemorative events on the 2nd, 4th and 11th of November, or whenever you have a chance to visit.