News Letter Februaryt 2012
To Download a PDF version of this News Letter Click here
To Download a Word.doc version of this News LetterClick here
Clan Gunn Society of New Zealand Inc
THE GUNN GAZETTE
February 2012
Contents
President’s Patter Petition for the Chiefship of Clan Gunn Minutes of the 23rd AGM A Memorable Weekend at Whakatane Scottish Heritage Council – Canterbury Article – Clan Gunn prepares to receive Maori Honour” – John O’Groot Journal 21/10/2011 Dunedin Report – February 2012 Christchurch Report and Upcoming Events The Gunns of Whataroa – Richard Rawstron New Members Engagement News A Scottish/Chinese Wedding in New Zealand Photo Gallery
Council Members
2012
President: Todd Wall healing@touch-your-heart.co.nz Vice President: John Sauer kathyandjohn@xtra.co.nz Immediate Past President Val Donald Ph: 03 366 4476 Treasurer: Ian Gunn ian.gunn@xtra.co.nz Secretary: Marie Gunn marie.gunn@clear.net.nz Membership Secretary: Kathy Sauer kathyandjohn@xtra.co.nz Committee: Stuart Gunn lizandstuart@actrix.co.nz Kathy Sauer kathyandjohn@xtra.co.nz Bonny Flynn Joyce Shield Julie Ferguson Christine Wilson christinebowkerwilson@xtra.co.nz
Editor: Sue Gunn clangunn@snap.net.nz
Website: www.clangunn.org.nz
Genealogist:
A reminder that Clan Gunn’s genealogist is Margaret Godfrey : Ph: 03 487 6700 / Email: Margaret-g@clear.net.nz. Margaret is only too wiling to help members find their ancestry.
Secretary: Marie Gunn, 121B Johns Road, Belfast, Christchurch 8051, Ph: 03 323 6608
President’s Patter – February 2012
Marie Gunn (Secretary), Sue Gunn (Newsletter Editor) and Kathy Sauer (Membership Secretary) are still doing a great job under very difficult circumstances with the ongoing after shocks in Christchurch. Again I would like to offer a big ‘Thank You’ to all of them. I know it can’t be easy. Let’s hope there’s an end in sight with all the rumblings and turmoil beneath the earth in Christchurch. We’re hearing all sorts of stories from so called experts telling us how long it’s going to be before they stop but I think it’s just guess work and nobody really knows for sure. On a lighter note the International Clan Gunn Gathering takes place this year commencing in the Orkney Isles for three days and moving to Thurso in Caithness for six days. During this time there will be trips to various sites of interest to Clan Gunn members in both areas. There will also be a Ceilidh, the Halkirk Highland Games where we get to march with the other Clans and a formal dinner. The formal dinner takes place on the last evening of the Gathering with a speech from the Commander, Iain Gunn. We have the largest contingent of New Zealanders going that have ever attended the International Gathering. There will be six from Dunedin, one from Christchurch and one, possibly two from Auckland. After the International Gathering we are all going to end up at the Pleasanton Highland Games near Sacramento in California which is one of the largest in America. It has over a hundred Vendors stalls alone. We will be joined by another two from Dunedin, making ten or eleven of us in all taking part in the march of the Clans. We’ll be flying our new Clan Gunn Flag with “New Zealand” prominently displayed. It is the Scottish Saltire with a beautiful Clan Gunn badge in the centre and “New Zealand” underneath. It is a personal flag that I had made in America through Rich Gunn. I was also presented with a Guidon by our Commander during his visit to New Zealand to attend the Maori ceremony in Whakatane which Marie Gunn has written an article about in this Newsletter. The Guidon is the Chief’s personal banner that we can fly at all our gatherings to indicate that he is with us through his representative, usually the President or Commissioner. Details of the International Gathering are included in this Newsletter and if anybody is interested in attending then it will be best to book your flights and accommodation as soon as you can. It was unanimously agreed at the AGM in October 2011 that Life Membership should be conferred on Dianne Gunn-Giles for the outstanding service she provided with the work she did before establishing the Clan Gunn Society of New Zealand 23 years ago and the ongoing work that that entailed. Congratulations Dianne. You are to be applauded. Please encourage family or friends to join the Clan. If you need any advice or help then please let either me or Marie Gunn know. Yours Aye Todd Wall President, Clan Gunn Society of New Zealand (Inc)
Petition for the Chiefship of Clan Gunn
Just before Christmas I received a message from Colonel James Gunn asking whether I would consider becoming one of 14 Clan Gunn officials to sign a petition for our Commander, Iain Gunn of Banniskirk to become our Chief. I agreed to the signing and sent my part of the petition off to James Gunn and so did all the others involved from all over the world. This in turn was presented to the Lord Lyon of Scotland whose court deals with the granting of titles of this nature. Iain Gunn has all the necessary proven credentials which other claimants have not had to the Lord Lyon’s satisfaction so far. So now the way is relatively clear for Iain Gunn’s claim to proceed. He has held the title of Commander for over 30 years and has done the hard yards so to speak and in all our collective opinions deserves to be our Chief which Clan Gunn has not had for 200 years. We are hoping that this Derbhfine or Family Convention will take place in Edinburgh during the period of our upcoming International Gathering this July enabling all the signatories to be there to sign any further documents as we will all be attending the Gathering. I have been looking at the Lord Lyon’s website in Scotland and I have extracted the following information for your perusal: “NOTICE OF INTENT – FAMILY CONVENTION – CLAN GUNN A Petition was lodged at the Lyon Court last month seeking the convening of a Family Convention to recognise a Chief of Clan Gunn. The Petition proposes that the current Commander, Iain Gunn of Banniskirk, be now recognised as Chief of the Name. In accordance with the Guidelines already posted regarding the holding of a Derbhfine or Family Convention the Lord Lyon intends to appoint a Supervising Officer in the near future. David Sellar Lyon 10 January 2012 ”This is the website if you would like to visit it yourselves: http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/736.html
- A request was made for members to let Sue Gunn have their e mail addresses if they are happy to have the Newsletter sent via e mail. It was pointed out that this relieves Sue of a significant amount of work and also reduces the cost of printing and postage.
- Marie Gunn thanked all the members for the many cards and letters she received following Ben`s death.
- Todd Wall suggested we consider a name for our Newsletter. The UK Clan Gunn Newsletter is called The Herald and the American Clan Gunn Newsletter is The Gunn Salute. Several names were put forward and after a vote it was agreed that the name of our Newsletter will be The Gunn Gazette.
Secretary
Clan Gunn members will remember the articles written about the Highland Homecoming in Scotland in 2009 and in particular the presentation of a carving by members of the Ngati Awa tribe to our Commander Iain Gunn in memory of John Mahiti Wilson. As a follow up to that event members of Clan Gunn worldwide were invited by members of the Ngati Awa tribe to a ceremony to be held at Whakatane in November of last year to further the relationship and understanding between Clan Gunn members and the Ngati Awa people. Those attending were: Commander Iain and Mrs Bunty Gunn; Alan and Sally Robson (past Pres. Clan Gunn UK); Rich (Pres. Clan Gunn Soc of America) and his wife Linda; Chuck Jamieson (USA); Nancy and Brian Nagle (USA); Todd and Sheila Wall; Joyce Shield; Bonnie Flynn; Margaret Campbell; Mairi Gunn; Christine Wilson; Pouroto Ngaropo; Christian Wilson; Anthony Wilson; Nicholas Wilson; Clifford Wilson; Cathy Gunn; Valerie Gunn; Marie Gunn. Our journey started on the Thursday (3rd November) evening in Auckland. We all met at Dukes Motel Conference Room for a formal welcome followed by a BBQ. On Friday morning we were welcomed to Christine Wilson`s spacious home for breakfast and shortly afterwards boarded our coach. We were shown several places around Auckland which were important to the Ngati Awa people. We were informed of the extent of lands around Auckland and Northland which were previously belonged to Ngati Awa including One Tree Hill which we visited. We also visited the Mt Albert campus of Unitec Marae and later visited the grave of John Mahiti Wilson`s parents where flowers were laid. We then journeyed to Whakatane and enjoyed a welcome Dinner. On Saturday morning we drove to the Whakatane Council Chambers where we received an official welcome from the Mayor and a member of the Executive Council. The Mayor mentioned the fact that his Grandmother was a Wilson and he was assured he would soon be receiving an invitation to join Clan Gunn along with a registration form. From there we drove to Taiwhakaea Marae to be received on to the Marae with great ceremony. We were also privileged to meet Pouroto`s wife Aroha and his Mother. There were speeches from various members of Ngati Awa as well as from Commander Iain Gunn, Alan Robson, Rich Gunn and Todd Wall. The whole ceremony was dignified and very moving. Following the ceremony we were escorted into their vast dining room accompanied by some amazing singing of welcome – a huge group of over a hundred people sang to us as we took our seats and again throughout the meal. We all felt extremely moved and honoured, not just by their singing, but by their warm welcome and indeed by the sumptuous meal they had provided for us. After lunch we crossed the road to the Taiwhakaea cemetery and after a short ceremony a wreath was laid on the grave of John Mahiti Wilson. We then travelled by bus to the Mataatua Marae in Whakatane where we were welcomed with songs and chants by Pouroto`s family. It was a real pleasure meeting Pourotu and Aroha`s family The female members of the Clan then sang a bracket of songs honouring the culture and heritage of Scotland. Members of both Clan Gunn and the Ngati Awa tribe had expressed a desire to formalise their relationship and as many members of Ngati Awa are already members of Clan Gunn by blood, Clan Gunn members were honoured to be invited to become members of Ngati Awa. To this end a Letter of Acknowledgement and Understanding was discussed and prepared. It was then signed by Pouroto Ngaropo, Deputy Chairman, Te Runanga o Ngati Awa, Iain Gunn of Banniskirk, Commander of Clan Gunn; Todd Wall, President Clan Gunn, New Zealand; Alan Robson, Immediate Past President Clan Gunn UK and Richard Gunn, President Clan Gunn North America and Commissioner. The day ended with a shared meal. On Sunday 6th November we left our Motels early for a trip to Iramoko Marae which is set in the hills inland from Whakatane. Here we were once more accorded a warm welcome on to the Marae by Pouroto`s family and were privileged to meet his Father. There was a short but moving ceremony of speeches and songs We were then shown around the Marae before enjoying a splendid lunch provided and served by Pouroto`s family. After lunch there was a Service of Worship which was followed by the exchange of gifts and finally a tree planting ceremony. A Pohutakawa tree was planted on behalf of the Ngati Awa and a Juniper tree on behalf of Clan Gunn. This ended our memorable stay in Whakatane and we said our `Goodbyes` with hugs and gratitude for their warm hospitality, and drove back to Auckland.
Marie Gunn
Scottish
Heritage Council - Canterbury
Clan Gunn expresses its appreciation and extends a big thank you to Val Donald, who for many years was the Clan Gunn Representative on the Scottish Heritage Council. John Sauer, the Clan Gunn’s Vice President, has stepped into this role as its Representative.
Dunedin Report – February 2012
September 2011
Our September Clan Gunn Gathering was held round Bonny Flynn’s house once more. Since Bonny’s husband Errol passed away her house has now become the centre for all of our Gatherings in Dunedin. After a delicious lunch forthcoming Gunn events were discussed. Six members were attending the Gathering at Whakatane. Six members will be attending the International Clan Gathering in Scotland meeting up with our Secretary Marie Gunn and probably Christine Wilson as well. From Scotland we will all be travelling to California to join up with another two arriving from Dunedin. Rich and Linda Gunn will be hosting all of us and taking us on the March of the Clans at the Pleasanton Games which are one of the biggest in America, if not the biggest.
AGM 2011
12 Dunedin members travelled to Lindisfarne for the AGM plus three from Christchurch, one from Auckland and one from central Canterbury. Heather and John Gunn who live close by Lindisfarne also joined us there together with their daughter Liz and her husband John. It was a lovely weekend with lots of laughs and camaraderie.Christmas Dinner
Appropriately on 30th November, St Andrew’s Day, 29 Dunedin members Gathered for their annual Christmas Dinner at the Janet Cameron Hall in Green Island. The joined tables had been decorated in blue table cloths with Scottish Saltire flags down the centre topped with white and silver decorations and some traditional Christmas decorations completing the layout. The evening commenced with a Haggis ceremony led by our piper, Ray Goodchild. This was followed by a most sumptuous meal which was provided by the St Barnabus Catering team. Everything was home cooked. The six desserts had everyone’s mouths watering. Entertainment was provided by Sylvia Woodhouse with good sing along music leading on to nearly everyone doing the Congo around the tables. Christmas gifts were handed out by two wrap Angels (Joyce and Sheila). Great fellowship with lots of laughter sent us away with smiles and hugs for Christmas and the New Year. It was a fantastic evening.
A shot of the lovely laid out table.
Dunedin Members enjoying themselves
2 October 2011 – Kirkin’ o the Tartan – The Church service was well attended by the various Clans. It brought home to many that at a time of uncertainty and the many aftershocks being experienced, that friendship and clanship was important to see us through. 8 October 2011 – Pot Luck Lunch at Marie Gunn’s went well. It was also a special meeting as Richard Rawstron talked about his research and his recently published book “The Gunns of Whataroa”. Congratulations Richard! As mentioned on page 9, please contact Richard direct if you would like to purchase the book. 16 October 2011 – Ten Pin Bowling: Members gathered together for a lunch at Alvardo at noon prior to the Ten Pin Bowling challenge. As always, this annual event was keenly contested between the two Clans, even though most of us never go bowling at other times. Individual scores are tallied up and combined to give a ‘team total’ which is then divided by the number of players in the team to derive its average score. The team with the highest average score was, in this case, Clan Donald, although it appears to Clan Gunn that they had several “ring-ins” among their players. However, we had some promising individual scores in our team, with Chris Gunn, John Sauer and Sue Gunn taking top honours this year, so there’s still room for optimism for this year’s stoush on 17 June 2012.
Upcoming Christchurch Events - 2012
- 18 March 2012 Weka Pass rail trip
- 28 April 2012 Pot Luck Lunch
- 17 June 2012 Lunch / Ten Pin Bowling
- End July Games Evening
- October 2012 Kirkin’ o the Tartan
- Late Sept/Early October Open home at Chris Gunn’s for afternoon tea and to view his model railway layout
- November/December Christmas Lunch
|
One of our Clan members, a very young 95 year old has recently published
a book about the Gunn families who first lived and worked in
Whataroa, Westland. This is an impressive and an important piece of
work recording the history of a remote part of Westland and the
families who made it their home. Richard`s late wife Jessie (nee
Gunn) was born and raised in Whataroa, hence his interest in the area
and the families who lived there.
Richard spent many years working on this project. His research was thorough and detailed. The book includes dozens of photographs of the families as well as detailed maps of the various areas, farms, tracks etc. If you wish to purchase a copy of this book please communicate directly with Richard at 19A Bideford Place, Dallington, Christchurch 8061. Ph: 03 385-0910 or email at rerawstron@xtra.co.nz. The cost of the book is $40.00 – please add $2.00 for postage. |
New Members
We extend a very warm welcome to all new members including Lesley Murray * Peggy Gunn * Alison Lee * Margaret Palleson * Janice GunnKathy Sauer Membership Secretary
The engagement is announced with great pleasure of Christine, daughter of Neil and Victoria Gunn, and Adrian son of John Thorburn and Brigitta Puls. Christine is the eldest grand-daughter of Marie and the late John Murray Gunn.
A Scottish-Chinese Wedding in New Zealand – September 2011 – By Chris Gunn
It’s not very often these days that Kiwis whose ancestry lies on the other side of the world decide to include recognition of their cultural heritage into the most important event of their lives – their wedding! David Gunn married Carolyn (nee Godfrey) on Saturday 3rd September 2011 (the day before the first anniversary of Christchurch’s first major earthquake in 16,000 years), and early in the planning stages he had agreed with the suggestion of his father Chris that it would be “really neat” to wear their new kilts. These had been expertly tailored the previous year by Val Donald, Immediate Past President of the Clan Gunn Society of New Zealand, from material imported directly from one of Loch Carron’s mills in Scotland. Carolyn’s mother Anne then mentioned that they are descended on the maternal line from the Sinclairs, whose roots lies deep in Caithness alongside the Gunns and several other highland clans. Over the centuries the Gunns and the Sinclairs had fought both against and alongside each other at various times, and inter-married as well – like many other Scottish clans throughout history. They also share a much older heritage, both clans being descended originally from Norse invaders who came to Scotland via the Orkney Islands, and through inter-marriage with the local Celts, acquired significant land holdings (and thereby power and influence) in the far north, mainly in Caithness. So a distinctly Scottish flavour had emerged into the wedding plans. As a personal gift to the happy couple, Chris and Sue imported two “table runners” from Loch Carron for the head table at the reception – one in Modern Gunn, the other in Sinclair Hunting tartan. Next – what about a piper? Val’s daughter Ann Smith, President of the Canterbury Branch of the Scottish Heritage Council, kindly agreed to “do the honours”, thereby adding Clan Donald to the clans represented at the wedding. She piped the bride into the ceremony on arrival, and the bride and groom down the aisle after “tying the knot”. David’s best man was James Glasgow (!) and his groomsman was John McKirdy, whose father Don is the G.P. in Palmerston and a piper in the East Otago Pipe Band; the McKirdys are associated with Clan Stewart of the Glasgow region, and the island of Bute, one of Scotland’s “Western Isles”. After the wedding party returned from the official photographs, Don asked David if he could pipe the newly-weds into the reception, and Ann was happy to defer to him; by chance Don had brought his pipes with him! The other main culture represented was, of course, Chinese, David’s mother Susan being born and raised in Singapore, and marrying Chris in May 1970 at St Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral in the heart of Singapore. For David’s wedding, Sue had a fantastic suit tailored in the luckiest colour for the Chinese – deep red. Although Sue’s parents are both now deceased, we were delighted that her Mum’s younger sister Annie (now aged 90) was able to travel from Singapore with her daughter Shui Ken, Sue’s cousin. It’s also interesting to note that Sue’s father, Doctor Sivam (who retired as Medical Officer of Health in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia the same year we got married) did his post-graduate medical degree in Liverpool, so had a very good knowledge of that part of the world. The wedding and reception was held at Rossendale Winery at Tai Tapu, and the official photographs were taken at the former Halswell Quarry nearby, now beautifully landscaped into a major recreational reserve, with native shrubs and trees forming a marked contrast with the rock cliff faces of the old quarry – themselves suggesting a common link with the granite-like mountains of Scotland. The forecast for the day was for strong sou’westers bringing rain, hail and possibly some sleet or light snow; in the event the day dawned fine and clear, and as the morning progressed became warm, sunny and completely calm – not even an unwelcome shake from Mother Nature to spoil the day. The daffodils and tree blossoms were in full bloom, and the birds, including several natives, were singing, contributing to an absolutely perfect day in a perfect setting. So, on the day there were four main Scottish clans represented at Dave and Carolyn’s wedding: Gunn, Sinclair, Donald and Stewart (though probably many more among the guests, who came not only from around New Zealand but also Australia, Singapore and the U.K.), plus the Chinese culture which, it has to be acknowledged, traces its recorded history back several thousand years – long before the Gunns and Sinclairs invaded Scotland from the land of the Vikings! |
| Mike Godfrey, Anne Godfrey, Carolyn, David, Sue and Chris Gunn |
 |
| The Gunn Family and Sue's cousin and Aunt from Singapore |
 |
| Carolyn, David and Friends |
 |
| Happy Parents |
Kirkin’ o the Tartan – 2 October 2011
|
|
| L-R: Helen Gunn, Val Donald, John Sauer, Marie Gunn and Kathy Sauer |
 |
| L-R: Helen Gunn, Val Donald, Chris Gunn, John Sauer, Marie Gunn,Sue Gunn, Kathy Sauer, Carolyn Gunn and Samanta |
Weekend at Whakatane 4
– 6 November 2011
 |
| Whakatane Council Chambers Clan Gunn Newsletter -Meeting of the four Presidents with the Mayor of Whakatane |
|
| |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
