Untold Stories is more than a family history research journey. It uncovers a part of New Zealand history that is largely unknown. The aim of this project is not only to tell six family stories, but also to fill that historical gap. By presenting the fascinating and vital stories of these people who settled in Palmerston North, we also want to reveal the complicated and true history of war time Europe.
These people were part of up to 5,000 Displaced Persons who came from across central, eastern and southern Europe to New Zealand, fleeing the ravages of World War Two and, in some cases, civil wars. After the war, New Zealand wanted skilled labour, but with its assimilation policy, it did not always make settling in easy for the Displaced People. However, about 4,000 of these DPs were welcomed at the Pahīatua Camp where they learned English and about New Zealand life and customs.
We believe their stories can teach us much about accepting people from different cultures and the value and cultural richness they bring to our country. If the aim of New Zealand’s policy was to gain valuable skilled workers, then it fulfilled that aim.
The researchers and writers of the Untold Stories are all descendants of DPs and were brought up and educated in Palmerston North. To create the exhibition, we have dug deep into our family albums and papers and had to apply for New Zealand archival immigration documents that are still held under restrictions. We have discovered aspects of our parents lives and heritage that we never knew. Our desire for the future of this project is to inspire and help other descendants of DPs to write their stories. We also hope the exhibition will inspire you all to write your family stories and patiently ask questions before it is too late.
The Untold Stories project is funded generously by the Earle Creative Trust and supported by Square Edge Community Arts Centre, Freedom Plus, Warwick Smith, Nick Watson, the Pahīatua Museum and the Heritage Dept. of the Palmerston North City Library. We wish to acknowledge the generosity of many community members from across New Zealand who have come forward with help, information and resources that enabled us to create this exhibition, film and book.
Untold Stories team 2024: Dr Tania Kopytko, Mary Zambazos, Mychelle Mihailof,

Quantum Alchemy was born out of a physics experiment I saw at school,
where my teacher nonchalantly showed us how to bend light and make
colours with tape and polarised film. This moment inspired me to create a
collection of sculptures which all highlight or utilise the principles of Physics
in a way which can be appreciated by a wider audience. With the help of the
PNCC, I was able to make my vision a reality, and my wish is to continue
creating and displaying sculptures such as these as time goes on, because
after all the science behind the artworks never ceases to occur, and the
emotions we feel towards art never ceases to exist.

I am an emerging local artist, from Palmerston North. This exhibition focusses on Old vessels, trying to capture their personality. Following Van Gogh, the paint has been applied extremely thickly and in predominantly unblended brushstrokes. In my previous exhibition, I applied the same style to my flower paintings (which were inspired by Van Gogh and Mondrian’s flower paintings).

The artwork in ‘a day at a time: tending to the seasons of grief’ explores the ever-shifting tides of grief and some of the things that have been a support to Cheleigh over the last couple of years as she has navigated losing many people in her world.

Political action hit the headlines in the Manawatū and across New Zealand in the 1970s. People took to the streets for civil liberties, peace, the environment, human rights and tino ramgitiratanga, and against racism, apartheid, inequality and injustice in its many forms

A. R. Newbery, C. Tansley and T. Whareaitu are Pāmutana based Māori artists, museum infiltrators and friends.

We invite you to our first show together, SAY LESS, SEE MORE, a kaupapa driven collection of artworks gathered to interrogate the state of the government, the environment and the injustice visited upon our fellow tangata whenua around the world.

Miscellany is a five-part collection of books from around Aotearoa. Two of the categories are collaborations between members of the Association of Hand Printers and the Association of Book Crafts. Bug Books 2022 and Fairy Tales 2023 gave the printers and binders free rein to interpret the themes as they wished. Miniature You Are Quoting Shakespeare books celebrate the 400th anniversary of the printing of the Bard’s First Folio and there are a few examples of the 2022 New From Old competition. Lastly, there are several entries from the inaugural John Sansom Memorial Competition.

All in all these books showcase the depth and breadth of the printing and binding crafts in Aotearoa.

Samuel Scully is an early career photographic artist based in Poneke / Wellington. Concerned with the world around him, Samuel aims to decipher the underlying rhythms that contribute to our shared understanding of lived experience. Primarily working within the modern tradition of ‘post documentary’ Samuel uses the interplay of subject and perspective to create new narratives in his long form photographic projects. Going West aims to act as a poetic reconstruction of the known rhythms of development in young men’s lives within rural Aotearoa / New Zealand.

Palm in Our Hands is a compelling visual narrative comprising over 150 evocative charcoal drawings. Without the use of words, this book transcends traditional boundaries to delve into human history.

Bridget Gowan is a multi-disciplinary artist, maker and creative based in the Manawatū. Her work is layered, contemplative, nostalgic, and often inspired by nature. She includes reuse, recycling and repurposing in her work, with a focus on making the mundane or discarded beautiful.

These works show my passion and love for animals and nature. I have loved nature from a young age and have always taken interest in animals, insects and all things living.
My collection of Pūrerehua represents my interest in butterflies and shows how we can capture nature’s beauty without harming it.

Born to Create: “Catalyst for Change” is not only an exhibition but a transformative journey into the stories of resilient women who defied societal norms.
Through a series of vibrant portraits, the exhibition showcases influential women who challenged societal norms, shifting paradigms in society. By liberating thoughts and encouraging authenticity, these women paved the way for greater freedom of expression. The exhibition goes beyond a mere tribute; it is an educational tool, introducing the remarkable achievements of these influential women to a wider audience.