Tourism in the Victorian era was not all neatly tied bonnets and impeccable manners. In fact, travellers visiting New Zealand in the mid 1800s seem remarkably similar to today’s tourists in their complaints, misdemeanors and fetishes, judging by their diaries and travel writing. Victoria University academic Dr Lydia Wevers (pictured) shared some of these in a weekend talk at Aratoi.
“Food was an ongoing obsession just like today,” she says. The lack of it, the quality and cost of it was described in detail. They complained about fellow travellers, money-grapping locals, and even the bush for ‘not having enough flowers in it’.
Perhaps some of their behaviour could be put down to the rigors of the steamship journey, followed by long, uncomfortable coach rides on muddy roads. Noted English botanical artist Marianne North could not endure the cold overcast weather in the South Island and abandoned her trip prematurely.
But even today, it would be hard to excuse those who scrawled their names on the Pink and White Terraces at Lake Rotomahana, then hailed as the eighth Wonder of the natural world, and the country’s most famous tourist attraction.
“The water flowed over the graffiti and instead of washing it off, it formed a transparent layer of silica so the names and messages became indelible,” says Dr Wevers.
Neither the spectacular Terraces or the graffiti can be seen today, the Terraces having been destroyed in the 1886 Mt Tarawera eruption. But we have painter Charles Blomfield to thank for images of them, several of which are on display at Aratoi in the ‘Settling the Land – Order out of Chaos?’ exhibition (see picture). In fact, Blomfield built his career on producing such images, churning out over 200 paintings during his lifetime. Demand for his work only increased after the eruption, especially as several of his paintings were on display at the Indian and Colonial exhibition in London when the volcano erupted.
Dr Wevers, who directs the VUW Stout Research Centre and wrote ‘Reading on the Farm’ based on Brancepeth Station’s library, says she’s interested in how the Victorian tourists interacted with local Maori. The tourists hugely resented having to pay ‘entrance’ and other fees, and artists there were also approached for money. But Dr Wevers says Maori were incredibly astute in realizing the value of tourism and the artwork of the site both in New Zealand and abroad, and believed they should also have a share.
“They showed a very sophisticated grasp of intellectual property in the new commodity culture,” says Dr Wevers. “They also grasped that a watercolour would be more valuable than photographs, being more life like.”
The travellers could hardly complain. As one travel writer observed: “They have learned from Pakeha to charge admission to their show. Small blame to them.”
Exhibitions at Aratoi: Settling the Land – Order out of Chaos?; John McLean: A Gathering; Hong Kong Song – Photographs by Madeleine Slavick, all until 10 May. Four Hundred Shades of DMC: Margaret Milne, until 3 May. Te Matatina Mauri, until 11 May. Events: Aratoi school holiday programme ‘Solar Powered Prints’, 14-16 April, 10am-1.30pm. Bookings T: 06 370 0001.
