Serious Fun at Pompallier
New Zealand Historic Places Trust information release
28 December 2003
Visitors to Pompallier Mission in Russell can expect some serious fun.
That's the message from the Historic Places Trust's Manager at Pompallier,
Kate Martin, who takes a hands-on approach to interpreting history.
"People who come to Pompallier are often amazed to find a fully
restored mission printery complete with pre-Industrial Revolution technology,"
she says.
From the soaking of animal skins in urine ('find out why history stinks'
says Kate to bemused visitors), through to leatherworking and printing
on a press similar to that invented by Gutenberg, people can follow the
exhaustive processes, as well as experience for themselves the tools and
equipment of this pioneer factory.
"Incredibly enough, nearly 40,000 books of Catholic literature in
the Maori language were produced here by the Marist Brothers in the eight
turbulent years the printery was operating in Russell. That's a staggering
achievement when you consider the labour-intensive nature of the work
that that involved," says Kate.
Part of the heritage experience is using authentic reproduction tools
- ranging from comic-book-looking sledgehammers used to 'tenderise' leather,
through to lethal looking shavers used to thin leather down to malleable
thickness - all painstakingly researched and faithfully reproduced.
"Our guides wield these things like experts and people understand
the skills that were needed to produce these books, to say nothing of
the physical stamina."
The result is more often than not a resounding two thumbs-up from visitors
- particularly those from overseas, who are frequently amazed by Pompallier.
"This is the last place they expect to see working models of European
pre-Industrial Revolution printing technology. The fact that this takes
place in a pise de terre (rammed earth) building makes the experience
all the more unique."
Enjoy your heritage - visit Pompallier.
For more information:
Contact: Kate Martin, Property
Manager
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