Member Profile

First Name

Margaret

Surname

Pointer

PHANZA Joining Date

2005

Region

Wellington

Specialities

Niue, Pacific, World War I

About Me

I have a BA Honours degree in history from Victoria University and have worked for many years as a secondary teacher. My last position was HOD History at Onslow College in Wellington. I have also spent many years living overseas in UK, France, New Caledonia, Niue and Japan.

While in Niue for 3 years I researched the history of Niue's involvement in WWI. I arranged an exhibition at the Niue museum and wrote up the story for publication. This work really rekindled my passion for research.

More recently we have spent 4 years in Tokyo. I wrote for newspapers and magazines on subjects of historical interest and I researched the NZ connection to the Hodogaya cemetery in Yokohama. This is the only Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Japan.

Now we have returned to Wellington and I am loving being near National Library and Archives. I have joined the committee of Phanza and I am working as a freelance researcher/writer. Current projects include writing for nzhistory.net on Pacific Islanders in WWI and preparing a Gallipoli photo study for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I also have a long term research project on 200 years of  contact between Niue and the outside world.

Publications and Research

Tagi Tote e Loto Haaku: My Heart is Crying a Little. Niue Island involvement in the Great War. Institute of Pacific Studies, Suva 2000. ISBN 982-02-0157-8.

Hodogaya Cemetery, Yokohama, Japan - The New Zealand Connection. Held by Alexander Turnbull Library. MS-Papaers-9147.

See NZ Herald website for articles such as:

The tragedy of a wasted war effort. Niue soldiers in WWI. 21 October 2006.

Ordinary names, extraordinary lives. The Commonwealth War graves cemetery in Yokohama. 25 April 2008.

Bulwark against Western influence. The development of the Tongan monarchy. 28 July 2008.

Other articles include:

Syria sojourn left big impression. NZ soldiers in Syria in 1942. Gisborne Herald, 24 June 2006.

Head for the Hills. Why topography is my favourite subject. Wellington essay, Dominion Post, 10 March 2007.

Blooming Tokyo. Discovering the gardens of Tokyo. Duplex Lifestyle magazine, Tokyo, autumn 2008.

Floating Art. Woodblock prints from the Edo period. Kaleidoscope Lifestyles, Tokyo, Jan/Feb 2009.

 

History

Member for

3 years 36 weeks