Holiday Seasons : Christmas, New Year and Easter in nineteenth century New Zealand
by Alison Clarke.
A fascinating look at our traditions and where they came from, different customs in different parts of New Zealand are accounted for when you discover the ethnicity of the early migrants to New Zealand. e.g. "All sorts of Scots came to New Zealand, from country and town, industry and agriculture" Less than 10% of Scots migrants came from the Highlands but a higher % came from the West Lowlands reflecting which areas of Scotland were most highly populated. Most settled in Otago attracted by the Scottish Free Church colony there.
"The relative freedom of colonial life allowed migrants, if the wished, to maintain their varied holiday traditions. Local businesses had considerable control over holidays and if enough of them closed on a particular day it became a 'general holiday' " p15.
This book is filled with historic fact and photograph as well as anecdotal evidence from newspapers and diaries of early settlers. Well researched and written for anyone interested in New Zealand's traditional holidays.
Available to borrow from the New Zealand History and Travel section on the 2nd Floor, 993z CLA and from the General Non Fiction section on the 1st Floor 394.26z CLA
