Wanganui Culture of Peace Sculpture – “Handspan”
“Handspan” is the name of a large sculpture created to symbolize a culture of peace in the New Zealand city of Wanganui. The international NGO Peace Through Unity, based in Wanganui, initiated and fundraised for this Culture of Peace project. The sculpture was designed by local artist and potter Ross Mitchell-Anyon and, on the 21st September 2002, dedicated by the Governor-General of New Zealand, the Honourable Dame Silvia Cartwright to “a culture of peace and non-violence for the children of the world”.
Preparing for and the building of this unique, interactive work of art, has taken almost exactly two years. The “Handspan” design was chosen from among other entries to a culture of peace sculpture design competition. This impressive structure is approximately 20m in diameter and 3 meters high and consists of a double-spiral pathway on which one can walk to the top. On each side of the pathway are walls covered with more than 4000 clay hand casts, made mostly from hands of community members of all ages, although some hand casts from outside Wanganui have also been included. Approximately 50 hand casts made in glass (by Wanganui UCOL glass studio), are also placed on the walls, through which a fibre-optic lighting system illumines the pathway of the sculpture at night.
Apart from the gathering, making and firing of the thousands of hand casts, which has involved the work of many volunteers, the construction of the sizeable structure itself has required the skills and expertise - and often the ingenuity – of many other crafts people. Engineers and architects, construction workers, electricians, plumbers and plasterers and others, under the supervision of master-builder Jamie O’Leary, all made invaluable contributions to the completion of the sculpture. Community involvement, cooperation and generosity are the qualities that have given life and meaning to this culture of peace work of art.
The sculpture stands on public land donated by the Regional District Council – on a hill at the heart of Wanganui, steeped in the history of the Maori and early Settlers.
On 20 December 2002, a coffee-table type of book, published by Peace Through Unity, was launched which describes the process of building the sculpture and tells about the people involved in the project.
It also mentions some of the visionaries who helped initiate the idea of a culture in which all cultures can stand united for peace, and prompted the UN General Assembly to pronounce 2001-2010 the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World. The book, called “Wanganui Culture of Peace – 2002”, begins with a statement by Peace through Unity saying: “Through this book we have sought to express our thankfulness to the One Life pulsating through all creation; each heartbeat offering new opportunities for learning and growing and loving together; the dream carried in the heart of humanity not even a breath away – its realization in our hands”.
It is now truly up to us, the world’s peoples, to resolve to work together for the emergence of an assembly of peoples and cultures – for peace.
Operation Peace Through Unity (OPTU), an NGO associated with United Nations NGO/DPI, was founded in Sweden 1975 as a Charitable Trust, since 1988 based in New Zealand.
Address: “Te Rangi”, 4 Allison St., Wanganui, 5001 New Zealand.
E-mail: optubrookiana@xtra.co.nz
websites: www.isleofavalon.co.uk/manytomany.html and www.angelfire.com/journal/brooke2000 .
OPTU’s quarterly publication “Many to Many”, can be read on the above websites. Hard copies will be sent on request.
A copy of the book “Wanganui Culture of Peace 2002” can be obtained from the above address. To recover printing cost and costs of posting and packaging a donation of US$30-35 would be appreciated.
On the 25 August, the Wanganui Polytechnic
Quay School of Fine Arts (Suzanne MacAulay and friends) had organised a
fundraising auction for the Culture of Peace project. In spite of coinciding
with a crucial All Blacks game, the Quay Gallery was packed and over $10,000
was raised. The givingness of local artists to this auction was tremendous
and people went home with very good bargains and very high quality art.
The 18 September, a Dawn Ceremony took place in Queens Park. John Maihi, Chairman, Te Runanga O Tupoho, blessed the land on which the Culture of Peace structure will be built. Two sites are now being considered for the building, and both were encircled by John Maihi and some 40 people present, and both included in the blessing. When the choice of site has been made, another blessing will take place.
Present were the Mayor of Wanganui, Chas Poynter, MP Jill Pettis several councillors, UNAYNZ members and other representatives of the community.
Before John Maihi closed the ceremony with a karakia the Mayor said a few words; four students from different schools and religious backgrounds, said the international prayer, The Great Invocation, and Gita, on behalf of OPTU also spoke.
Dawn Blessing, 18 September 2001
When Anthony and I became members of this community we soon came to recognise Queens Park as the heart of the City of Wanganui.This historic hill seems to gather on and around itself not only the thoughts, memories and aspirations of its own peoples: but it also welcomes those to others from afar. Through its libraries, the Sarjeant Gallery, The Museum and the nearby Polytechnic, it is a vital centre for communication.
And each year people assemble of this hill to remember and honour those who so valiantly gave their lives for a cause greater than themselves, namely that of a better, fairer and more peaceful world for future generations.
Today, which is the final day of a week internationally dedicated to a culture of peace, specifically highlights the urgent need to create a world in which all our children, wherever they live, are enabled to develop their full potential in a nurturing and non-violent environment. May we all listen carefully and open wide to the crying needs of our little ones, and each do what we can to help.
This Dawn Blessing, invoking the emergence of a culture of peace, announces the arrival of a newcomer to Queens Park: The Wanganui Culture of Peace work of art, designed by a son of the city.
This work of art, chosen almost exactly a year ago in the Sarjeant Gallery, has gone through a time of careful, step by step preparation: thousands of handcasts have been made: countless hours of voluntary work and financial support has been given by community members to bring it to this point. And very soon the building will begin.
May this art work become a visible symbol, an anchor point among an ever increasing number of other anchor points throughout our weary and troubled world, so burdened by hatred, violence and suffering. May it symbolise our steadfast resolve to overcome evil with good and to help bring about a strong and vibrant culture of peace, rooted in the heart of the world’s peoples, and on this very hill, the heart of our beautiful city of Wanganui.
So therefore let us welcome with open arms the dawn of a new culture, a new civilisation.
Fundraising for the project is proceeding
through various sources and events to raise our target of $65,000.
The new site, which is approved by the
District Council and preferred by many, is now going through the process
of being assessed for its feasibility. It may prove to be more costly and
will obviously delay the completion.
Eighteen-month old Jamie Baldwin has her handprint taken at the Wanganui District Library for local potter Ross Mitchell-Anyon's Peace Through Unity Sculpture, Handspan.
About 80 baby and toddler handprints were
taken at the libary yesterday to be added to the thousands of handprints
of Wanganui schoolchildren, adults, and kindergarten-aged children already
taken for the Wanganui Culture of Peace project.
The sculpture is to be erected on Queen'
s
Park.
It has yet to be decided if the site will
be facing the entrances to the Sarjeant Gallery and Alexander Library or
a terraced area in the vicinity of the Cenotaph and War Memorial Hall.
