Rare copy of Washday at the Pa by Ans Westra, first edition with ephemera!

A rare and controversial icon of New Zealand education history, that is highly collectable today. We also have a range a newspaper ephemera recording the controversy leading to the books withdrawal by the government of the day.

This copy was the last held at Tokorangi School, near Halcombe, Rangitikei District. Tokorangi was a two teacher school and this copy was retained by Maureen and Ritchie Scott the teachers. It is signed on the front cover by R J Scott.

Washday at the Pa was published in 1964 by the Education Department's School Publications section. Ans Westra wrote the text and took the photographs during a visit to Ruatoria. The bulletin, intended for school children, features stunning and candid illustrations of daily life for a rural Maori family. Images that Westra captured of living conditions caused enormous controversy. The most controversial image was of a girl standing barefoot on top of a stove. According to tikanga Maori, the body should not come into contact with a food preparation area in this way. Westra was accused of posing her subjects which she strongly denied. As a result of the numerous objections and debate, all 38,000 copies of Washday at the Pa were withdrawn from circulation and only a handful were retained privately by teachers of the day. Very few remain today.

VG condition. A real treasure.