I love how my discoveries in the museum at Kiwi North have taken me on such a range of adventures this year. Sometimes nostalgic, sometimes educational and sometimes cultural. The artefact I found this week has definitely led me down a cultural path.

This is a whiskey crock, a stoneware whiskey jug (1969/15/19). These jugs predated mason jars and were a popular way of storing liquid. This particular one was made in Glasgow and is intricately decorated in blue with a floral design, a stag and the words “Jeroboam, The Royal Whiskey Blend”. It was made by A.G. Thomson & Co of Glasgow and was donated to the museum by Y. Balle.

Not much is known about this whiskey crock, and that made me wonder — how did it get here? And when? Maybe it came to Northland on board one of the settler ships from Scotland?

Waipū in Bream Bay was founded by Scottish settlers who arrived in 1854. They were a group of about 800 settlers, led by the Rev Norman McLeod, forced to leave their homeland during the Highland Clearances. This was the forced eviction of people from the Scottish Highlands so that land could be cleared for sheep pastoralism, which continued throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

Their attempts to put down roots were repeatedly thwarted. The Rev McLeod had left Scotland in 1817 and led his people to Nova Scotia where he intended on establishing a religious settlement, but constant crop failures and severe hardship forced them to leave in 1851. The next stop on their voyage was near Melbourne, Australia. However, their arrival coincided with the Victorian Gold Rush, which had resulted in land prices being too high. It was then that the six immigrant ships sailed to New Zealand where they landed in Waipū.

When they arrived, local Māori helped them to establish a new life in Northland and they were soon joined by more people from Scotland and Nova Scotia.

Waipū is still extremely proud of its Scottish roots and regularly celebrates them. One of its most popular events is the annual Highland Games, which has taken place on New Year’s Day almost every year since 1871. Only two have been missed, these were due to Covid restrictions, and one was run for only children due to World War II.

Tomorrow is a big deal for the country’s second-largest Highland Games, because Waipū will be bidding a special “Ceud Mile Failte” (A Thousand Welcomes) to competitors and spectators participating in its 150th anniversary.

It seems fitting in a way that so many people will be singing the tune Auld Lang Syne tonight. It is a Scottish song about old friends, having a drink and reminiscing about the adventures they’ve had. I wonder if that drink was served in a whisky crock? I like to think it was.

From the team at Kiwi North, we wish you all the best for 2023 and look forward to extending a thousand welcomes to you soon.

Mel Williams, visitor services, Kiwi North