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Arts and Culture in Ellesmere
Description
NameArts and Culture
DescriptionWelcome to the collection of stories around arts and culture in Ellesmere, through the heritage panel at the tuna (eel) sculpture at Leeston.
The first European settlers in Ellesmere brought with them the cultural traditions of their homelands. Together with the vibrant art and music of the Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki people, this made for a rich diversity of culture across the district.
Carnivals, parades and concerts brought the community together in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Māori concerts by local and visiting groups, or performances put on by the Ellesmere Orchestral Society, Southbridge Dramatic Society, Dunsandel Players and others, were popular occasions. Brass bands, including the Salvation Army Band and a Highland Pipe Band, provided music and ceremony. Ellesmere’s many local halls were a venue for dances, magic lantern (early image projection) and film screenings. The unique landscape attracted early photographers, who formed a photographic society and later, the Ellesmere Camera Club.
Throughout the 20th century, the local Māori Women’s Welfare League and the seven local Country Women’s Institutes encouraged creativity through crafts and drama. Renowned Taumutu artist Cath Brown, a tohuka raraka (expert weaver) provided education about Māori arts across the district and beyond.
Culture and heritage have long been celebrated in Ellesmere. In 1898, a community museum display in Leeston featured a remarkable range of taoka (treasures) lent by residents. Today, the history of the district is preserved by the Ellesmere Historical Society.Date2024
DescriptionWelcome to the collection of stories around arts and culture in Ellesmere, through the heritage panel at the tuna (eel) sculpture at Leeston.The first European settlers in Ellesmere brought with them the cultural traditions of their homelands. Together with the vibrant art and music of the Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki people, this made for a rich diversity of culture across the district.
Carnivals, parades and concerts brought the community together in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Māori concerts by local and visiting groups, or performances put on by the Ellesmere Orchestral Society, Southbridge Dramatic Society, Dunsandel Players and others, were popular occasions. Brass bands, including the Salvation Army Band and a Highland Pipe Band, provided music and ceremony. Ellesmere’s many local halls were a venue for dances, magic lantern (early image projection) and film screenings. The unique landscape attracted early photographers, who formed a photographic society and later, the Ellesmere Camera Club.
Throughout the 20th century, the local Māori Women’s Welfare League and the seven local Country Women’s Institutes encouraged creativity through crafts and drama. Renowned Taumutu artist Cath Brown, a tohuka raraka (expert weaver) provided education about Māori arts across the district and beyond.
Culture and heritage have long been celebrated in Ellesmere. In 1898, a community museum display in Leeston featured a remarkable range of taoka (treasures) lent by residents. Today, the history of the district is preserved by the Ellesmere Historical Society.
Date2024
Attribution
Arts and Culture in Ellesmere (2024). Selwyn Stories, accessed 04/04/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/6196
