Blackball Museum of Working Class History open day

Today was fabulous. Quite a few people came out to Blackball and spent time reading the history boards, looking at the exhibits and watching a film. It is no longer a pie in the sky dream project but a resource for everybody to learn about and celebrate the stories and struggles of working people.
I did take my camera and I have run out of battery juice and I have lost my battery charger so no photos of today. What I do now have though, are some fabulous, fabulous photos of the May Day opening (two weeks ago). Thank you Jo Edgar, you are a wonderful photographer.

The march from the Community Centre to the Memorial building. I love the backdrop of rain cloud and blue sunshine and a little mist, all together. That's what it often looks like in Blackball.The woman holding her baby is the very skilled worker of the cross stitch banner. I apologise for not remembering her name, but she is one of the Christchurch Anarchists.
Jose Garcia, the Cuban Ambassador, speaking at the opening ceremony. I enjoyed his speech and learnt that Cuba provides a lot of doctors to small Pacific Island countries.



People looking at the billboards. These are open to the public 24 hours and 7 days a week.
Today I watched a film on the Kinleigh Strike in 1977, when forestry workers in the middle North Island formed their own separate union in response to being sold out by their union leader. I knew nothing about it previously, and enjoyed it greatly. It appeared to be original footage, made as events actually happened.
Then I got home and found some meat thawing in the sink. Favourite Handyman had thought about dinner in advance. So I had home made dinner, at our home, cooked for me for the second night running. Everybody ate it. Wiener schnitzel, pasta, green salad and carrots.
Perfect weekend.






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