Remembering the Orpheus 160 years on

“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” CS Lewis

Standing on Whatipu Beach yesterday with colleagues from our museum and more than a hundred others, it seemed to me that CS Lewis had it about right. Commemorating the heart-rending loss of life on Manukau Bar 160 years ago, we were reminded of the many perspectives that surround daily life.

There is no dispute over the core facts: HMS ORPHEUS foundered in fair weather on 7 February 1863; 189 lives were lost or unaccounted for; the tragedy remains New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster. But the circumstances are another matter.

In his speech yesterday, Taumata member Te Warena Taua reminded us that the ship was perceived by his people as a threatening force; nevertheless, courageous Maori made a major contribution to saving life, with recognition both in cash and in medals awarded by the Royal Humane Society.