Make a Beautiful Statement with the Suffrage 125 Jewellery Collection
125 years ago, New Zealand women were vigorously campaigning to achieve the right to vote and would finally win that right in September of 1893.
The 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition is on display in a state-of-the-art conservation case to preserve the document for all New Zealanders as part of the permanent multi-award winningĀ He TohuĀ exhibition at the National Library of New Zealand in Wellington. You can view this important document which represents a monumental part of New Zealand history.
As partĀ of the celebrations 125 years on, Te Puna Foundation, the independent charity established to support the National Library, invited The Village Goldsmith to design a pin, pendant and earrings that pays tribute to these women.
Suffrage: A Brief HistoryĀ Ā
On 19 September 1893, after the suffragists submitted a petition with nearly 32,000 signatures, New Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant women the vote. In most other democracies - including Britain and the United States - women did not get that right until after the First World War. Another major milestone was then achieved when New Zealand women voted for the first time in a general election on 28 November 1893.
He TohuĀ and Te Puna FoundationĀ
The 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition, fondly known as the 'Monster' petition, is on display as part of the permanent multi-award winningĀ He TohuĀ exhibition at the National Library in Wellington. Proceeds from purchases of the Suffrage jewellery are being donated directly back to Te Puna Foundation which helps fund the brilliant work the National Library carries out.
By gifting to the Foundation, New ZealandersĀ willĀ enhance the National Libraryās ability to share New Zealandās unique stories and knowledge as well as continue to deliver excellent experiences, programmes and events that help New Zealanders to turn knowledge into value. Your gift will also assist Te Puna Foundation's Travel Fund for Schools which enables school aged children from all around New Zealand to participate in He Tohu's learning programme.
TheĀ WhiteĀ Camellia ā A Symbol for Suffrage 125Ā
The white camellia features alongside Kate Sheppard, the leader of the Women's Suffrage movement on the New Zealand ten dollar note. The white camellia is seen as a symbol for women's suffrage. In 1893, the Electoral Bill passed through the House of Representatives, and white camellias were presented to Council members who supported the suffrage bill to wear in their buttonholes.
Designing and Crafting the Suffrage 125 JewelleryĀ
The team of designers and craftspeople at The Village Goldsmith took inspiration from the Suffrage 125 camellia symbol and interpreted this into sterling silver jewellery featuring purple amethyst gemstones. Purple is an important colour that represents dignity and self-respect.
The rippling lines of sterling silver were inspired by the camellia as well as the soul-stirringĀ He TohuĀ exhibition's 'Waka Huia' treasure box in which the 1893 Women's Suffrage Petition is housed. The jewellery design allows light to pass through and bounce off the open folds of silver, reflecting the purple hues of the amethyst gemstone at the heart of these pieces.
This jewellery is in recognition ofĀ those women who fought so hard for the right to vote 125 years ago, as we all remember, celebrate and look to the future to continue to progress womenās rights here and around the world.
Make aĀ Statement and Make it a Beautiful One
To wear this jewellery is to stand with the Suffragists and every woman and man campaigning for gender equality today. History has never been more now.
Proceeds from your purchase are donated to Te Puna Foundation's General Fund to support the National Library as they continue to share knowledge and preserve our heritage for future generations.
You can browse the collection below and buy your Suffrage 125 jewellery online and in-store.
The pin, pendant and earrings are available to purchase in-store and online at The National Library Store and The Village Goldsmith in Wellington.
Find out more about Te Puna FoundationĀ
Whakamana PÅti 125
I ngÄ tau 125Ā o mua, ko tÄ te wahine o Aotearoa he pakanga ki te whai mana pÅti. Tae rawa akeĀ ki te tau 1893, i te marama o Mahuru, kaĀ ea taua whakapau kaha.Ā Ā
Kei te whakaaturia te Petihana Whakamana PÅti Wahine 1893 i roto i tÄtahi kÄhi hanga motuhakehia hei tiaki i te tuhinga mÄ te motu whÄnui. Koia nei tÄtahi wÄhanga o te whakaaturanga pÅ«mauĀ He Tohu,Ā he whakaaturanga whakawhiwhia ki ngÄ paraihe maha i Te Puna MÄtauranga o Aotearoa i Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Tirohia tÄnei tuhinga whakahirahira e whakaatu ai tÄtahi wÄhanga ahurei o te hÄ«tori o Aotearoa.Ā
Ko tÄtahi wÄhanga o ngÄ whakanuitanga 125 ngÄ tau whai muriĀ ake, he tono ki The Village Goldsmith ki te hoahoa i tÄtahi pine, mau kakÄ«, me Ätahi mau taringa heiĀ whakapÄ«wariĀ eĀ mihiĀ neiĀ ki aua wÄhine. NÄ Te Puna Foundation te tono - koia tÄtahi rÅpÅ« ohaoha mana motuhake i whakatÅ«ria ai heiĀ rÅpÅ«Ā tautoko i Te Puna MÄtauranga.Ā
Whakamana PÅti: He HÄ«tori PotoĀ Ā
I te rÄ 19 o Mahuru 1893, whai muri atu i te tÄpae petihana waitohuĀ ÄhuaĀ 32,000Ā a taua rÅpÅ« whakamana pÅti, ko Aotearoa te whenua mana motuhake tuatahi tonu o te ao ki te whakature i te mana pÅti mÄ te wahine. I te nuinga o ngÄ manapori o te aoĀ āĀ tae atu ki Piritana me AmerikaĀ āĀ kÄore te wahine i whai mana pÅti tae noa ki te mutunga o te Pakanga Tuatahi o te Ao. NÄ reira ka whakanuia tÄtahi anÅ rÄ whakahirahira i te 28 o Te Whiringa-Ä-Rangi 1893, te rÄ tuatahi tonu i pÅti ai ngÄ wahine o Aotearoa i te pÅti whÄnui.Ā Ā Ā
He TohuĀ me Te Puna FoundationĀ
Ko te Petihana Whakamana PÅti Wahine 1893, e mÅhio mÄkohatia ai hei petihana 'Taniwha', koia he wÄhanga o te whakaaturanga pÅ«mauĀ He Tohu,Ā he whakaaturanga whakawhiwhia ki ngÄ paraihe maha e tÅ« ai iĀ Te Puna MÄtaurangaĀ i Te Whanganui-a-Tara.Ā Ko te rironga pÅ«tea nÄ te hoko i auaĀ whakapÄ«wariĀ Whakamana PÅti he tÄkoha tÅtika ki te Puna Foundation hei tautoko i ngÄ mahi whakamÄ«haro a Te Puna MÄtauranga.Ā
MÄ ngÄ koha aĀ tÄnÄ, a tÄnÄĀ ki te Foundation, e pai ai te mahi aTe Puna MÄtauranga arÄ ko te tuari mÄtauranga, te tiaki i ngÄ taonga tuku iho, te hanga i teĀ haporiĀ rÄ«ti pukapuka. Ko tÅ koha he tautoko i te PÅ«tea Haereerenga o Te Puna Foundation kia taea ai e ngÄ tamariki kura huri noa i te motu te uru atu ki te hÅtaka ako oĀ He Tohu.Ā Ko tÅ koha he mea nui ki a mÄtou. Ka whakatauritehia Ä-tÄra e te KÄwanatanga te nui o te pÅ«tea koha taeĀ akeĀ ki te $2 miriona.Ā
Te KamÄ«ria MÄĀ āĀ Te Tohu Whakamana PÅti 125Ā
Ko te kamÄ«ria mÄ tÄtahi tohu pÄrÄ i a Kate Sheppard, te kaihautÅ« o te rÅpÅ« Whakamana PÅti Wahine i runga i te tekau taara Aotearoa.Ā Ko te kamÄ«ria mÄ he tohu whakamana pÅti wahine.Ā I te tau 1893, ka whakaturehia te Pire e te Whare PÄremata, ka whiwhi kamÄ«ria mÄ i ngÄ mema KauniheraĀ āĀ nÄ rÄtou te pire i tautokoĀ āĀ hei whakamau i te puare pÄtene.Ā Ā Ā
He Hanga i ngÄ Taonga Whakamana PÅti 125Ā
I pÄ«rangi ngÄ kaihoahoa me ngÄ kaitÄrai o The Village Goldsmith ki te whakahÄngai i ngÄĀ whakapÄ«wariĀ ki te tohu kamÄ«ria o te Whakamana PÅti 125. Ka hangaia ki te hiriwa me ngÄ tioata waiporoporo. He tae whai mana te waiporoporo. He tae e whakaatu ai i te Ähua rangatira, i te kiritau hoki.
Ko te Ähua pÅ«ngarungaru o te hiriwa he mea hÄngai ki te kamÄ«ria ka tahi, ki te waka huia whakaihiihi e pupuri ana i te Petihana Whakamana PÅti Wahine 1893 i te whakaaturangaĀ He Tohu,Ā ka rua. Ka kuhu te hÄ«nÄtore ki teĀ whakapÄ«wari, ka tÅ«pana ki ngÄ pÅkaitanga hiriwa, mÄ reira whakaataria ai ngÄ momo waiporoporo o te tioata kei te manawa o ia taonga.
Ko te wahine e mau nei Änei taonga ka mau anÅ nei ko ia tÄtahi o aua wÄhine i pakanga ai ki te whiwhi mana pÅti i ngÄ tau 125 ki muri. Ka maumahara, ka whakanui, ka titiro whakamua ki te whakaÅ«nga oĀ ngÄ mÅtika wahine i konei, arÄ i te ao whÄnui.
Ka hokona te pine, te mau kakÄ« me ngÄ mau taringa Ä-toa tÅ«turu, Ä-ipurangi, i te toa Puna MÄtauranga, i The Village Goldsmith o Te Whanganui-a-Tara hoki.
Rapua he kÅrero anÅ mÅ Te Puna FoundationĀ