Following the highs of Anzac Day in April, the team at Te Arawhata has remained busy with a series of events throughout May.
To start the month, we participated for the first time in the Printemps des Cimetières, a national springtime event that shines a spotlight on the unique heritage of our local cemeteries. Working alongside the Le Quesnoy Historical Society, the Museum proposed tours of the Le Quesnoy Commonwealth Cemetery Extension and of the town’s extensive ramparts. Both spaces are inextricably linked to the story of the liberation, and it was great to shine a light on one of the lesser-visited aspects of Le Quesnoy’s heritage.
Another first in May was our cycling tour, “Mémoire en mouvement”. This initiative was delivered in partnership with the Le Quesnoy Cycling Club and the Institute Ste Jeanne d’Arc, together with support from local town halls whose permission allowed us to ride 30 kilometres through the beautiful countryside of the Avesnois.
Special thanks go to our now-former intern Madelyne Rémy, who not only researched and developed the tour content but also returned to Le Quesnoy after the completion of her internship to support the event’s delivery.
You can read more about Mémoire en mouvement, designed to celebrate the final months of our temporary exhibition “Ça Roule – Remembering the New Zealand Cyclist Corps”, here.
Te Arawhata was also present at “Un avion dans ma ville”, a remembrance event held at an aerodrome just outside Arras.
We are always proud to fly the New Zealand flag alongside our friends from the other Commonwealth sites of memory on the Western Front.
Rounding out the month, Te Arawhata took part in the national Nuit des Musées. With the doors open late into a warm evening, we had the honour of welcoming French author Serge Legrand-Vall to Le Quesnoy. Serge’s latest novel, Les Eaux Dangereuses, connects Le Quesnoy and Aotearoa New Zealand, and visitors heard how Serge’s journey to New Zealand aided his understanding of his characters’ own journeys.
A simple theme runs through all of our May events: the (re)discovery of the New Zealand–Le Quesnoy connection through a new lens. We continue to strive to share this story as widely as possible, and events like those we proposed in May introduce this history to new audiences while continuing to engage those who have long been connected to it.
I look forward to seeing you at future events throughout the rest of 2026!