Week 78 "Onuku Church"

Near Akaroa there is a tiny Maori settlement, with a few houses, a few boat sheds, a large, modern meeting hall and this tiny church. Built in 1876, it was used for services until 1963, when the call for services dropped due to the decline in local families. It is now used for baptisms, weddings and funerals. It is tiny inside too, but has a beautifully carved font and a pedal organ, and pews which wouldn’t seat more than about 3 people each. The carving on the porch is lovely with an inlay of paua shell to highlight some parts. A woven mat on the floor and a couple of pictures hanging on the walls complete the minimal decoration inside, but the views from the windows on the harbour side are stunning, no more decor is required. There are 5  hooks on each side of the door, waiting to hold coats and hats. Helen Clark, when she was our
Prime Minister, refused to go to Waitangi on Waitangi Day some years ago, because she had been insulted by protesters at a previous Waitangi Day. She chose to go to Onuku instead.  She attracted a lot of criticism, but was steadfast in her resolve, saying that the office of Prime Minister should be respected in this country and she felt if she attended at Waitangi again it may not be. The feeling inside the church is very peaceful, as it should be. I felt a calmness there, which was lovely. Photographing the interior was difficult because of the high contrast from the window and no flash to balance the light, so I chose this image of the exterior instead.