Thanks to the label writers!

The deadline for round two of personalised labels has passed ... though I haven't started editing the labels yet, so if you have a last minute addition I can probably be bribed to take it!

A huge THANK YOU to the new Ruru Revolutionaries that have joined the ranks of label writers.  We now have 18 new labels, including many from first time writers.  Our new Curator Archives, Lucy Macfarlane, put her recent experience of working at the Eltham Cheese Shop to good use by writing an ode to cheesemaking, while Mikaere Gardiner used his well known artistic prowess to create a visual rather than textual label.  These labels and more will be awaiting your discovery in May ...

On that note, we'll blog next week about how we plan to launch the new labels and celebrate our label writers.  All we can tell you at this stage is the celebration will be a 'three for the price of one' affair (but not in a cheap way!) and will definitely be different from last time!

GET READY TO PARTY!

"Who are you calling a fossil?!!"

Round two is well underway!

I forgot my camera today so I couldn't head out and take some interesting Ruru-related photographs to pretty up the blog.  I decided to upload this photo instead ... I came across this little note on the pavement near my house the day after we launched the first round of personalised labels.  Given the launch had gone so well, I had to agree that it WAS my lucky day!!!

Anyway, on to all things Ruru ...

We've had an influx of labels over the last few days.  In addition to Clare's label and Cameron's two poetic efforts, we've had no less than FIVE options submitted by Bill Howard!  Te Maari has built on the success of her wonderful label about the 'Little Battler' moa skeleton - this time she's written about another object on display in the Taranaki Naturally gallery.  We've also had several labels from Puke Ariki's loyal North Wing Volunteers, Jill McKillop and Mike Nightingale.  Discover It! staff are stepping into the fray with TeAo writing a soaring story about a small Māori kite.

A big THANK YOU to all the staff who have written labels for round two.  For those of you yet to take the plunge, don't forget that the deadline is this Friday, 18 March 2011.  

We'll keep you posted about how we intend to celebrate the new round of labels ... as we hinted last time, we've got another idea on the boil too so we hope to join both initiatives into one big celebration of label writing goodness! 

Keep those labels coming!!!

Label of the week - Glen Skipper

This week's personalised label is written by Glen Skipper, Curator Taonga Māori.  Glen obviously hunted around for one of the least known, mysterious little displays he could find ... it would be safe to say most Puke Ariki staff didn't even know this drawer of shells existed!

Shell drawer, Taranaki Naturally Gallery

Glen's label records his reaction to stumbling across this little-known drawer ...

(click on label for a larger image)



... and succinctly expresses the frustration of finding a display with no labels!!!  

A hearty congratulations also to Clare O'Connell, who is the FIRST person to submit a label for the second round of personalised labels.  She was duly rewarded with a Ruru badge AND a buzz bar (the shop was out of chocolate fish!).  [disclaimer: Clare only got a buzz bar for being the first to write a label, so don't get your hopes up!!!]

The Ruru team eagerly awaits your new reminiscences ...

Label of the week - Te Maari Barham

This week's featured personalised label is from Te Maari Barham, our A.G. Buist Technician.  Given that her time here (so far anyway!) has revolved around scanning photographs of archaeological digs and moa bones, perhaps it was no wonder she chose to write about the small moa skeleton on display in Taranaki Naturally:



A70.622 - Moa skeleton (collection of Puke Ariki)

Te Maari's label muses on the toughness of a little moa that managed to outlive its larger family members: 

(click on the label for a larger image)

Te Maari's label is the first object in the I Digress ... on the subject of suffering and endurance scavenger hunt.  If you can endure the whole hunt you get a bright pink Ruru badge as a reward!

As Rebecca Connor mentioned in last week's staff meeting, we will be calling for new personalised label submissions in a few weeks' time.  The Ruru team is also working on some other exciting ideas, so we'll keep you posted!  In the meantime, keep an eye out for that obscure yet wonderful object you may wish to write about ...