Celebrating peace, equality, and suffrage
Taranaki women got together to celebrate 125 years of women’s suffrage yesterday.
Around 100 people marched the streets of New Plymouth, some dressed in 1883 garb, chanting in celebration.
At Puke Ariki Chanelle Carrick, Kararaina Te Ira and Viv Davy got together for an art project encouraging people to write down messages of peace, equality, and celebration for an installation.
‘‘This project was designed by Opunake artist
Davy and inspired by the work of Elsie Andrews who was a Taranaki feminist and environmentalist,’’ Carrick, Puke Ariki curator of pictorial collection, said.
‘‘To tap in to her work Viv decided to use recycled milk bottles and we’ve had over 300 recycled milk bottles cut into peace doves for people to write their message on.’’
Carrick said it was still important to celebrate suffrage because there is still a long way to go.
‘‘It’s important to acknowledge all the work that women, and the men that supported them, went through to ensure women had the same rights to contribute in society today.
‘‘But there is still a long way to go in terms of gender equality and the wider context of things like domestic violence and mental health,’’ Carrick said.
‘‘All of that ties into women, it’s crucial.’’
The project had been travelling around district libraries and high schools for a few weeks now and Carrick said the reaction had been fantastic.