Interview with Olivia Bradbrook

Interview with Olivia Bradbrook, born at Muriwai, Gisborne in 1940. Talks about her whakapapa, the origin of family names, and growing up in a farming community near Gisborne where both Maori and English were spoken. Refers to having tuberculosis from the age of 10, and to the role of elders in bringing up children in the community. Comments on being sent to Wellington when she was 15, working in various menial jobs, and her father taking her pay. Refers to returning home for tangi, and fund-raising for the marae. Mentions her marriage to a pakeha at the Muriwai marae, and buying their home in Wainuiomata. Refers to retiring to Waitarere Beach, and then returning to Muriwai to live in 2005. Discusses becoming a marriage celebrant and Justice of the Peace, and performing Maori marriages.

Discusses working for Births, Deaths & Marriages in the 1980s and falling naturaly into the role of doing research. Comments on difficulties researching Maori records because of some tribal records having been destroyed and names mis-spelt. Talks about the attitudes of staff to the records - ownership rather than a service to the public. Refers to the need for public servants to be more flexible and to treat rules as a guide. Comments on attitudes before the Adult Adoption Information Act was passed in 1985 and her resistance to the secrecy of birth records, mentioning that Maori were open about adoptions. Comments on managers Rose Hawksworth, Jack Wright and Brian Clarke.

Mentions being seconded to the Justice Department Head Office Maori Cultural Unit and becoming kuia, a role that involved travelling with Ministers and the Secretary for Justice David Oughten. Talks about later being moved to Courts and also doing some Waitangi Tribunal work.

Interviewer(s) - Megan Hutching

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-015799 - OHC-015800

Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 2.06 Hours and minutes Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-5673.

Search dates: 1940 - 2005

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: A digital copy of the recording is available in the Library's Reading Room