Mel Williams, Visitor Services
I love how my discoveries in the museum at Kiwi North have taken me on such a range of adventures this year. Sometimes nostalgic, sometimes educational and sometimes cultural. The artifact I found this week has definitely led me down a cultural path.
This is a whisky crock, a stoneware whisky jug (1969/15/19). These jugs predated mason jars and were a popular way of storing liquid. This particular one was made in Glasgow and is intricately decorated in blue with a floral design, a stag and the words “Jeroboam, The Royal Whisky Blend”. It was made by A.G. Thomson & Co of Glasgow and was donated to the museum by Y. Balle.
Not much is known about this whisky crock which made me wonder, how did it get here? And when? Maybe it came to Northland onboard one of the settler ships from Scotland?
Waipū in Bream Bay was founded by Scottish settlers who arrived in 1854. They were a group of around 800 settlers, led by Reverend Norman McLeod, forced to leave their homeland during the Highland Clearances. This was the forced eviction of people from the Scottish Highlands so that land could be cleared for sheep pastoralism, which continued throughout both the 18th and 19th centuries.
Their attempts to put down roots were repeatedly thwarted. Reverend McLeod originally left Scotland in 1817 and led his people to Nova Scotia where he intended on establishing a religious settlement, but constant crop failures and severe hardship forced them to leave in 1851. The next stop on their voyage was near Melbourne, Australia. However, their arrival coincided with the Victorian Gold Rush which had resulted in land prices being too high. It was then that the six immigrant ships sailed to New Zealand where they landed in Waipū.
When they arrived, local Māori helped them to establish a new life in Northland and they were soon joined by more people from Scotland and Nova Scotia.
Waipū is still extremely proud of their Scottish roots and regularly celebrate them. One of their most popular events is the annual Highland Games which has taken place on New Year’s Day almost every year since 1871. Only two have been missed, these were due to covid restrictions, and one was run for just children due to World War II.
2023 was a big deal for the country’s second largest Highland Games, as Waipū bid a special “Ceud Mile Failte” (A Thousand Welcomes) to competitors and spectators participating in their 150th anniversary.
It seems fitting in a way that so many people sing the tune “Auld Lang Syne” on New Year's Eve. It is a Scottish song about old friends, having a drink and reminiscing about the adventures they’ve had. I wonder if that drink was served in a whisky crock? I like to think it was.
From the team at Kiwi North, we wish you all the best for 2023 and look forward to extending a thousand welcomes to you soon.
1969/15/19
** Highland Games photos supplied by the Waipū Caledonian Society.
