Swedish Ambassador On Special Visit To Russell Museum

Swedish Ambassador On Special Visit To Russell Museum

The Swedish Ambassador to New Zealand, Pär Ahlberger, and his family, will make a special trip to Russell and its museum, Te Whare Taonga O Kororāreka, on February 4th to promote the museum’s next big exhibition. Paradise Lost, Daniel Solander’s Legacy, will be one of the most prestigious exhibitions the museum has ever hosted; it opens at the beginning of April. When the ambassador found he was unable to make the official opening he arranged to make a special trip up to the Bay of Islands instead. He wanted to show his support both for the exhibition and the local museum. He is joined by his wife Hélène and daughter Louise.

The family will visit the museum, take a tour of the town’s important historical sights and go out on the water with a Swedish family newly arrived in Russell. Katarina and Stefan Jung, along with son Vidar, moved house about as far as you can go, from Stockholm to Kororāreka/Russell a couple of years ago. They say they have fitted in really well and have a thriving fishing tackle shop and boat charter business called Screaming Reels.

Daniel Solander was a man who would register being first and foremost in many things in his short life, (1733-1782). He was one of the greatest botanists of his day; his was the first encounter between Sweden and the Pacific; he was on that famous Endeavour voyage 250 years ago with James Cook and Joseph Banks, where they collected 350 new species of plant from New Zealand alone; and he took a keen interest in Pacific cultures, something that set him apart from many of his contemporaries. He formed a strong bond with another man who racked up his own impressive list of firsts, the Tahitian high priest and master-navigator Tupaiea, who was also on the Endeavour,

The title of the exhibition comes from the fact that because paper was difficult to get and expensive in the 1760’s, Solander and Banks resorted to ripping pages from Milton’s famous epic poem Paradise Lost, with which to press and preserve their unique finds. They were not to know the bitter irony with which, following the introduction of predator species to Aotearoa/New Zealand, that title is now viewed.

Ten artists were specially selected for the exhibition, they were asked to flesh out the character, attributes and many talents of Daniel Solander. His scientific credentials in botany, his cross cultural awareness and his enthusiasm for the preservation of the unique species of the natural world. They include Michael Tuffery, well known to many Russell people, Jenna Packer, John Pusateri and Alexis Neal.

The Russell Museum opening early April and will be opened by the Swedish Deputy Head of Mission, Henrik Grudemo.

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