Post #614989 by Club Nouméa on Tue, Nov 22, 2011 3:39 PM

Thanks Tom,

It has been a fascinating journey for me too; realising that, at a time when British culture enjoyed overwhelming dominance in New Zealand, there were Pakehas in New Zealand who nonetheless took an active interest in Maori culture and integrated it into their cultural and social lives.

And, in the course of my research, I get to find out about stuff like this:

During WWI, the Wanganui Savage Club went into mothballs, as most of its members were overseas getting shot, shelled and gassed. In its absence, various local men decided to entertain themselves by forming the Swankers Club. I have a badly photocopied photo of 2 of them, dressed like Edwardian dandies, wearing rosettes, puffing a cigar and a pipe respectively, with their hats on their heads at very jaunty angles.

Among other things, they raised funds for the war effort by setting up a tent with "The Wild Man of Borneo" inside it, and charging admission: "There, down a hole about six feet deep, wire netting over the, padding about on straw, was the "Wild Man". You went inside the tent and saw him there, roaring and growling, a false set of teeth made by some Swanker dentist giving him a dangerous look, and some artificial arms adding to his gorilla-like appearance."

In reality, he was a fellow known as "Shamrock", who ran a fish barrow on Victoria Avenue (the main street).

CN