On the evening of 17 May, Te Arawhata participated in the 21st edition of the European Night of Museums – an annual occasion celebrating the incredible range of museums across the continent. On this special evening, the Museum extended its closing time to 9:30 pm allowing visitors to explore the exhibition after hours.
To mark the occasion, Te Arawhata organised two dramatised tours of the Museum. Visitors were introduced to the characters of Anastase Carlier, a fictional cousin of the Le Quesnoy’s wartime mayor, Achille Carlier, played by Gregory Chermeux, President of the local Historial Society; Louise, a nurse who had cared for our soldiers, portrayed by the Museum’s education manager Blandine Demailly; and James, a New Zealand soldier, portrayed by the Museum’s marketing manager Jacob Siermans.
Although these three characters were fictional, the story they told was rooted in reality. The characters shared real stories taken from the notes, letters and journals of historial figures who lived through the occupation and liberation of Le Quesnoy.
Visitors were delighted by the performance, captivated by our friends from another time. One visitor shared with us: “I felt like I was on a journey into the past, back to November 1918, seeing these outfits from a bygone era. Hearing the stories made me realise just how soldiers from the other side of the world became the liberators of our little town. And to this day, we still thank them wholeheartedly.”
