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Published: October 2nd 2006
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9/23/06 (Saturday) Shakespeare In Auckland
Saturday was one of those cold drizzly mornings that you’d just rather stay inside. I had other plans instead. Auckland city council had sponsored a week long event called Auckland Heritage Week. Various public and private entities had opened up their doors for public tours and programs.
I had reserved a spot for the tour of the Auckland City Library Special Collections Department, which houses rare books, manuscripts, photographs and maps. All that attended the tour were in for a treat.
The first book that the librarians pulled out for our inspection was the first Shakespeare folio (1623). Along with the first folio the library has the second, third, and fourth folio (editions) as well. I was within six inches of the book and with no glass between. I could not believe my luck. One of the first published copies from one of the most influential playwrights was there in front of me. I’ve seen Shakespeare performances in his home country but had never laid eyes upon the book caringly assembled shortly after his death. Anyone that comes to Auckland can go to the special collections department and they will be given the
same up close and personal experience with the book that I was given.
The provenance of the book was just as fascinating. The prior owner was a Sir George Gray governor of New Zealand in 1862, prior to which time he was Governor of South Africa. He brought this book that he had purchased for 82 British Pounds (a large sum at the time) along with the rest of his collection, most of which he donated to the city at the time of his death. It’s a miracle that the book is in near perfect condition especially when you consider the six week sea voyage that it took from S. Africa by a leaky and creaking sea vessel.
Among other documents we were shown included a medieval pray book with the intricate hand written calligraphy and 40+ pages of gold leaf illustrations of biblical characters and saints. The original hand written words to “God Defend New Zealand” (National Anthem). Photographs of NZ dating back to 1870’s. Colorful maps including one very interesting record of the location and number of fish caught by a particular NZ cartographer. I commented to the librarian that the map maker included a flaw
in his work. She was puzzled and asked what I meant; geographically everything seemed to be in the correct location? I jokingly replied that the map was useless because he failed to record what bait he was using at each location. I guess all good fisherman keep there secrets.
Later that afternoon I went with Marcos, Jen, Jonathan and a couple of other people to see Al Gore’s an Inconvenient Truth. I must say that Mr. Gore is very persuasive, well spoken, knowledgeable, and perhaps did invent the internet (or not).
The photos on today’s blog were actually taken on Sunday (tomorrow) at One Tree Hill Park. I have other photos that I want to post for Sunday, hence the inclusion of the One Tree Hill Park photos here. Among other things, One Tree Hill Park had one tree at the summit as the name implies. A few years back a disgruntled Maori snuck up to the hill early one morning with a chainsaw and cut the tree down in protest of English dominance over the Maori (no George Washington and a cherry tree story). There’s been on ongoing debate over what should be planted to replace the
Cows in The City
One Tree Hill Park has a small operational farm right in the center of city. You can picnic with the cows if you like. original tree. I suspect nothing will ever grow up there again, the tree will live on in name only.
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Grandma Hazen
non-member comment
How pretty it is
Donavin you did the right thing this time.Wish i was younger and come there too