Dive into the past and learn how to explore your own genealogy and whakapapa in the Te Aka Mauri Family History Day at Rotorua Library.

Whether it be army service records, cemeteries, Waitangi tribunal or through DNA, all of these fascinating outlets provide a lens to the past that help us understand who we are today.

August is Family History Month and Rotorua Library, Te Aka Mauri, is offering a range of events to help people research their own family history in a variety of ways.

Taking place on Saturday 5 August 2023 there will be six free events including one for children.

Abigail Wharne, Rotorua Library Heritage & Research Lead, is excited to highlight some of the ways people can discover their own whakapapa and showcase many of the free resources that are available at Rotorua Library.

“Researching your family's history can be a rewarding and exciting project, uncovering stories about the lives of your ancestors. Every family is different and so for genealogists, the journey to source information can vary greatly”, says Abigail.

The day will kick off with a workshop presented by the Rotorua Branch of New Zealand Society of Genealogists about DNA. Genealogist Michelle Patient will explore how DNA can tell you more about your roots and ancestors in this Zoom session.

“I grew up with a grandmother whose family stories, photographs, and memorabilia sparked a life-long interest in genealogy,” explained Michelle.

Adding DNA research to Michelle’s genealogy tool kit has increased the range of her research methods. Michelle has spoken at a number of global genealogy events and is the DNA consultant behind the Australian SBS TV series Ever1428y Family has a Secret.

Lucy Alabaster, Research Services Leader at the Kippenburger Research Centre, National Army Museum Te Mata Toa, will provide an overview of how to use the New Zealand Army WWI and WWII records to search for family members.

Historian and author, Lyn Williams, is well-known for her ‘The Dead Tell Tales’ talks and writing which explore the lives of those buried in cemeteries. Lyn will share some unique Rotorua stories as well as research sources and tips she regularly uses.

The afternoon will explore Waitangi Tribunal research with Professor Michael Belgrave, Professor of History at Massey University. This will be expanded on by Ben Manley, Rotorua Lakes Council Research Lead & Senior Advisor, as he explains what resources and tools are available at Rotorua Library for researching the Waitangi Tribunal and Māori land details.

Programme summary:

10am - 12pm: Create a family scrapbook (for children)

10am – 11.20am: What’s all the fuss about DNA? (Michelle Patient)

11.30am – 12.15pm: NZ Army Service Records (Lucy Alabaster)

12.30pm – 1.15pm: The Dead Tell Tales (Lyn Williams)

1.30pm – 2.15pm: Waitangi Tribunal research (Professor Michael Belgrave)

2.30pm – 3.30pm: Waitangi Tribunal and Māori land research (Ben Manley)

The only event that requires booking is the children’s Family Scrapbook activity. To book, and for more information on the Te Aka Mauri Family History Day visit

rotorualibrary.govt.nz

© Scoop Media