Draft:Mina McKenzie

Mina Louise McKenzie (née Gillespie; 2 February 1930 – 11 March 1997) of Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi, and Rangitāne made a significant contribution to the museum sector in New Zealand and specifically Palmerston North. She was affectionately known as "Aunty Mina" to many within the New Zealand museum sector. She joined the Museum Council in 1972 and worked as the Curator at the Manawatū Museum (forerunner of Te Manawa) from June 1974 to 1978. From 1978 she served as the Manawatū Museum director until her retirement in 1994. Not only was Mina one of the few early women directors of a museum in New Zealand, she was also the first Māori director of a New Zealand museum.

Early life and education

Mina was born in Palmerston North in 1930. She grew up at Miranui and then on the family farm at Ōpiki before leaving to attend Whanganui Girls’ College. She then went on to study zoology, geology and chemistry at Otago University from 1948 to 1950. Later, in 1963, she enrolled in arts papers at Massey University.

Career

Upon her return to Palmerston North in 1952, she worked briefly for the Department of Māori Affairs (forerunner of Te Puni Kōkiri) and helped establish a regional branch of the Māori Women’s Welfare League in 1953. In 1967 a Manawatū museum society was incorporated and the Palmerston North City Council offered an old house for the display of local history exhibits. Mina and her husband, Bruce McKenzie, were among the volunteers who worked to open this new facility in 1971. Mina's commitment to this group led to her being offered the position of acting curator in 1974 which came with a small honorarium. The museum’s move to larger premises in 1975 saw her position become full-time. In 1978 she was appointed as Manawatū Museum’s first director. She was the first Māori to hold such a position in New Zealand. From then until her retirement in 1994 she worked within the Manawatū Museum, as well as being involved in national museum movements, committees and projects.

Legacy

When Mina was appointed director of the Manawatū Museum in 1978 she engaged local Iwi (Māori: tribe) as kaitiaki (Māori: guardians) of the museum. Contrary to prevailing museum practices of the time she pursued a philosophy of 'keeping the taonga (Māori: sacred objects) warm.' This approach facilitated access for source communities to the museum collections including touching and wearing items of significance. By 1980 Mina had already established herself as an advocate for a new kind of bi-cultural museological practice.

Mina was a member of the Te Maori committee. She was instrumental in having the North American tour extended to the Field Museum in Chicago. The Te Maori exhibition is credited with generating new ways of exhibiting and understanding Māori taonga within museum contexts.

Awards and honours

Mina received the Palmerston North Civic Honour Award in 1993. After her death in 1997 the Mina McKenzie scholarship and annual Mina McKenzie lecture were established. In 1998 she was awarded the Massey University Medal for contributions to the university's Museum Studies programme and strengthening of the museum sector in New Zealand. In 2018 the Mina McKenzie Award was introduced at the New Zealand Museum Awards, recognising individual achievements in the museum sector.