| (Copyright) by Jonathan Gray (New Zealand) |
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| On Tuesday the 3rd of July, 2001, Terry M., a friend and three boys ranging in age from 7 years to 17 years, ventured into New Zealand’s Waipoua forest for a bush walk and a look at some ancient stone structures therein. The Waipoua Forest sites were on public land, administered by the Department of Conservation. It was and is the right of all New Zealanders to hike throughout the area, with no known legal restriction posted by the Archaeological Division of DOC. They were dismayed to find that timber felling was taking place between these ancient structures. For untold centuries these structures had survived, but now they might have an existence numbered in days. Around 2.30 pm, they returned to their vehicle. This threatening note was tucked under a window wiper: “You have entered this area without prior authority and act as thieves. The next time you do this you will be treated as such and suffer loss.” What the discovery showed Between the late1970s and the late 1980s, some extensive and very expensive archaeological excavations had been conducted in the Waipoua Forest. Certain information was discovered, which could rewrite regional history overnight. It included evidence of a past Celtic presence. In New Zealand. much of the new information is astronomical in nature. Local structures also incorporate Northern Hemisphere geodetic, “ring of the Earth” navigational systems and Egyptian/Indo European measurement standards. Government clamp When the significance of the Waipoua information was realized, certain New Zealand Government Departments produced an official archival document, which clearly showed an intention to withhold this archaeological information from the public for a period of 75 years. Below is the “Embargo” document signed by Archaeologist, Michael Taylor. It states that neither the general public nor bona fide research workers were permitted to view the results of the digs until the year 2063. This archaeological information was deemed “top secret”.  When a diligent researcher leaked to the public the news of this ban, many indignant people began writing to the National Archives for an explanation. They asked, why was this embargo put in place? Some questioned the legality of such imposed restrictions. Others contacted their Members of Parliament to force a release of information being withheld. Among those who complained that they had no success in accessing the Waipoua Forest Archaeological Report were Noel Hilliam, Curator of the Dargaville Maritime Museum and Joan Leaf, Hokianga based Historian. You see, in New Zealand, archaeological information, artefacts and skeletal evidence can be deemed secret, with knowledge deliberately withheld in the perceived interests of government policy. Reason for the ban? But what was so threatening about archaeological finds that they needed to be “restricted”… How on earth could 2,000 ancient, stacked stone structures pose a threat to national security? For a number of years, it has been taught that the original inhabitants of New Zealand were the Maori. And land ownership claims were being negotiated, based upon this assumption. So, the question arose, was the information derived from the dig threatening to the Maori claim of being the original inhabitants of New Zealand? Was it restricted on the basis that any devolution of such knowledge was disadvantageous to Maori claims of sovereignty? And what caused Ned Nathan, head of the Te Roroa Archaeological Advisory Committee to exclaim, within earshot of witnesses, ‘that’s 500 years before we got here!‘? This was allegedly stated as the group held in their hands a dating report. Clamp removed So it was that a huge body of historical information was earmarked for suppression and successfully hidden away for 8 years. It would have remained so unless someone was prepared to take up the cudgels and fight for the right to have it where it rightly belongs…in the public domain. In 1996 researcher, Gary Cook tried without success to get a copy of the archaeological report covering the 70’s-80’s dig. In the end Gary had to acquire the services of a lawyer, who made submissions to the Ombudsman to force the lifting of the illegal embargo. To my knowledge, the restrictions would have remained in place until 2063, were the legalities not challenged, under law, through an incentive instigated by Gary Cook. Life threatened Despite the removal of the ban, everyone is dissuaded from going to visit the structures of the pre-Maori “Stone People”. In early 2000, Denis Welch, journalist for The New Zealand Listener Magazine, was told that he was not permitted to inspect the ruins. In 1999, a film crew from Greenstone Pictures, making a documentary for TV1 titled, Who Was Here First, politely asked to film the structures. They also were refused by the Nathans and had to resort to filming Noel Hilliam’s old photographs. According to Martin Doutre, even now, visitors to the area who wish to visit the ruins, may be followed by carloads of locals who threaten them with violence if they don’t leave the area. Noel Hilliam, Curator of the Dargaville Maritime Museum was warned to keep out of that archaeological forest area, or his life would be in danger. * * * * * * * The Waipoua Forest suppression of information is but one of many attempts to dupe the New Zealand public and rob them of their true historical inheritance. ——————————————————————————————————– See Jonathan Gray’s other articles at: Gray, Jonathan – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) ——————————————————————————————————– |
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