Our Land in Colour

A breathtaking collection of 200 photographs expertly colourised by Aotearoa New Zealand's premier colourist, Brendan Graham, with commentary from award-winning historian Jock Phillips ONZM

Our Land in Colour celebrates the rich story of Aotearoa through the restoration of images never before seen in colour. Two hundred images have been meticulously colourised, opening a window back in time with remarkable detail.

Aotearoa New Zealand from 1860 to 1960 was a world of black and white. It was a time when communities were isolated, made their lives from the land and lived an identity forged by the outdoors. Our Land in Colour is the way New Zealanders experienced life for a century before colour photography became prevalent, before large-scale urbanisation, and before the arrival of television and jet-airliners changed the nation forever.

From how the people adapted to the environment and the way they had to feed, clothe, house and transport themselves across an at times inhospitable land, to how they banded together with a spirit that would become famously Kiwi - each image in this 400-page book is a reminder of who we were and where we've come from.

IMAGE CREDITS

Page number, library or archive, photo reference, photographer

• 24–25 Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/2004136F, James Bragge;
• 36 Alexander Turnbull Library, PAColl143043, James McDonald;
• 48–49 Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/4002570F, Burton brothers;
• 64 Auckland War Memorial Museum, PH20137TCB16015, Tudor Collins;
• 116–117 Auckland Libraries, 137067407, unknown;
• 144 Alexander Turnbull Library, APG02081/2G, Albert Godber
• 176 Alexander Turnbull Library, PA1o194841, Albert Godber;
• 190–191 Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/2037502G, unknown;
• 234 Alexander Turnbull Library, EP05461/2G, unknown;
• 248–249 Manawatu Heritage, 2006182, unknown;
• 270–271 Alexander Turnbull Library, EP/1958/3796F, unknown;
• 272–273 Auckland Libraries, 1370216A12, William Beattie;
• 302–303 Alexander Turnbull Library, DA01231F, unknown;
• 310 Alexander Turnbull Library, WH0215F, unknown;
• 322–323 Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/1021486G, Northwood brothers;
• 325 Alexander Turnbull Library, PA1o53025, unknown;
• 332–333 Alexander Turnbull Library, 1/1006308G, Northwood brothers;
• 343 Alexander Turnbull Library, PAColl779689, C Wilson;
• 350–351 Auckland Libraries Heritage, 895A64762, unknown;

Jock Phillips ONZM is a distinguished historian based in Wellington, New Zealand. Educated at Victoria University, he then studied United States history at Harvard University where he earned a PhD. Phillips was New Zealand's chief historian for 14 years (1989-2002), before initiating and editing Te Ara: the Encyclopedia of New Zealand (2002-2011). He has published 15 books on New Zealand history, established the Stout Research Centre for New Zealand Studies, and in 2014 was awarded the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement. His many governance roles include the National Library Society (president), Fulbright New Zealand (chair for three years), the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, the Victoria University of Wellington Council (2001-2012), and the Guardians/Kaitiaki of the Alexander Turnbull Library.Brendan Graham is a Wellington based digital colourist passionate about photography and history. He strives to understand light and colour harmony to achieve an accurate recreation of the past, and to reimagine historical stories through his work.

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