‘Concepts of nationhood: a symposium to mark the centenary of the proclamation of dominion status’
Papers from the symposium
The following papers are now available - more will be added shortly.
- Rt Hon Helen Clark's opening address, Concepts of nationhood (Beehive website)
- James Belich, ‘Globalisation and the nation’
- Giselle Byrnes, ‘Rethinking national identity in New Zealand’s history’
- W. David McIntyre, The Development and Significance of Dominion Status
- Alison Quentin-Baxter, ‘Building on the past and looking at the future’
- Rt Hon Geoffrey Palmer, 'The Development and Significance of Dominion Status'
- Colin James, ‘Resetting and settling the settler society’
- Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal ‘Some speculations on Māori identity in the New Zealand of tomorrow’ (on his website)
See also: panel discussion from some of the presenters on Radio NZ website (Sunday Group)
Images from the symposium
The top two images show the Parliamentary Library lit up to mark the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of Dominion status. The bottom image shows members of the symposium posed at the entrance to the Library. It re-enacts a similar photograph from 1907 when the proclamation of Dominion status was read from here. (click on it to see a larger version).
This year New Zealand celebrates an important milestone in the development of its national identity. A century ago, on 26 September 1907, Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward read the proclamation of dominion status for this country. New Zealand ceased to be a colony within the British Empire, and became instead a dominion.
To mark this occasion, a symposium was held at the Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament Buildings, on Dominion Day— 26 September. The symposium was an opportunity to reflect on the changes in symbols and meanings of nationhood in New Zealand over the last century, and to look to the future.
The symposium featured speakers who discussed concepts of nationhood — how New Zealanders have represented this, changes in the concepts, different approaches to nationhood, and possible future developments.
The symposium was hosted by the Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Helen Clark, who opened proceedings and chaired the keynote address. The Prime Minister also hosted an official reception (in the Grand Hall) that followed immediately after the symposium.
A feature of the celebration was the illumination of the Parliamentary Library. In 1907 Parliament Buildings were all illuminated with lights spelling out the words ‘Advance New Zealand’. For the centenary of the proclamation of dominion status, the arches and roofline of the Library were illuminated on the evenings of 25 and 26 September. This was be the first such illumination since 1937.
The sessions will be recorded by Radio New Zealand with a view to later broadcast.