New exhibition begins with Rūaumoko, god of earthquakes: Laura Vodanovich

Fires being extinguished on Napier's Hastings St after the earthquake. Photo / Arthur Bendigo Hurst, Napier, gifted by Kaye Neill, collection of Hawke’s Bay Museums Trust.

Laura Vodanovich is MTG’s director

Last night we were excited to open Shockwave: Hawke’s Bay’s Great Quake, 1931, our new earthquake exhibition, to the public.

This newly developed exhibition begins with Rūaumoko, god of earthquakes, with his story told by kaumatua Matt Eru, through exhibition text, a children’s animated story and a projection of Rūaumoko’s haka performed by Te Aute College students.

We explain how earthquakes happen and what type of earthquake Te Matau-a-Māui/Hawke’s Bay had in 1931.

Moremore, kaitiaki/guardian of Ahuriri/Napier waters, makes an appearance. Find out who he is, how he warned of impending disaster, and watch him swim along the floor.

Then step inside a cottage set in 1931 and experience an earthquake, without the risk, in our new immersive earthquake experience.

This “shake house” gives a sense of the awesome power of Rūaumoko and shows how important it is to prepare your home for an earthquake. Proudly sponsored by the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake, this simulated earthquake experience helps bring the power and chaos of a quake to life.

This experience will feature prominently in our education programmes, ensuring tamariki know how to prepare themselves and their homes for an earthquake, and share this message with their whānau.

The stories of individuals’ experiences in the 1931 quake are still there, along with Gaylene Preston’s film Survivors Stories. We have added in more information about the impact across the region and created a new memorial area to remember those who lost their lives.

We look at life immediately following the earthquake – evacuations, medical care, tent city and more. Then trying to get life back to “normal” with tin town and rebuilding following the earthquake.

Finally, there is a section providing information to help you prepare for an earthquake, including the key messages on what to do during and after a quake.

There’s a shake table for visitors to build a structure and see how it might fare in a tremor. A key element is advice on what to do before an earthquake to prepare your home and protect your whānau, including a video of an Esk Valley resident who experienced the power of Cyclone Gabrielle floods.

There will be information to take home that will enable you to be proactive and best prepare your home and your household, to protect yourself and your family should the worst happen.

This exhibition development has been a long time in the making and a labour of love - we are excited to see the finished product completed in time for school holidays.

I’m incredibly proud of what the team have achieved, from curator Gail Pope’s research, curator Te Hira Henderson’s mātauranga Māori, to the elegant design and layout from our exhibitions team.

It’s fair to say this gallery was a big hit on the night and we look forward to all the community coming in and experiencing this important part of Te Matau-a-Māui’s history and knowing we are doing our bit to ensure everyone knows what to do to prepare for any future earthquakes.