The Bay Chronicle

Values NZ history

James Robinson, 54, regional archaeolog­ist working for Heritage New Zealand, father of two. Lives in Kerikeri.

- What do you like about the Far North? How long have you lived here and where are you originally from? What do you like least and how can we fix it? What’s your favourite eatery? Your highlight of the week? Who is the Kiwi you most admire? The spot in Nort

It’s a beautiful part of the country. It was the cradle for both Maori and European settlement and contains well preserved and impressive heritage landscapes.

My formative years were in the south island but my archaeolog­ical career has been based in Northland since 1990.

Northland’s history is not well represente­d in the school curriculum. There’s enough books around that well document NZ history.

There are things like the northern wars which are dramatic...when you get kids on site they’re really impressed.

Calypso Fish and Chips Kerikeri; they have the most wonderful kids packs and they’re cheap and fresh and taste divine.

Meeting local people and recording their heritage knowledge.

Master carver Te Warihi Hetaraka.

He’s one of those lovely people who quietly and with great mana does so much good for a lot of Northlande­rs. He’s well connected and well respected.

Mimiwhanga­ta, near Helena Bay. It’s a Department of Conservati­on coastal park.

I’ve been going camping with the family on and off for 20 years.

Apart from being exquisitel­y beautiful, everything you want to take in you’ve got to carry in. It’s just camping and fishing and kids running around.

Develop heritage tourism by pushing the history and archaeolog­y of the Far North.

Get out on the water in the Bay of Islands.

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