Underwater Heritage Group New Zealand
2020 Kelly Tarlton Recognition Award
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New Zealand Underwater Heritage Group Inc
www.underwaterheritage.co.nz
The Kelly Tarlton Recognition Award for Services to Underwater Heritage
The Kelly Tarlton Recognition Award for Services to Underwater Heritage recognizes individuals or groups who have made significant and lasting contributions through research, practice, or advocacy to underwater heritage, maritime archaeology or maritime history. The award recognizes members of the underwater heritage community for long-term accomplishments or those who have made a notable impact through a significant innovation, body of work or publication. A candidate’s contributions can include innovative ideas or maritime conservation projects, including services that have promoted underwater heritage in New Zealand or wider Pacific communities linked to New Zealand. The award includes a certificate of recognition, and an invitation for the recipient to present a keynote talk at the annual NZUHG Conference. A public citation for the award will be placed on the NZUHG website. While no monetary award is made, awardees may be assisted with travel and sustenance costs to attend the NZUHG conference.
2020 Annual Conference Program
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The Stolen Island: Searching for Ata
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Review of “The Stolen Island: Searching for ‘Ata” by Scott Hamilton
‘Shock History: A sensationalist fictional horror story not to be taken seriously’
By Dr Rosanne Hawarden
In this slim book ‘The Stolen Island: Searching for ‘Ata by Scott Hamilton, a claim is made for a New Zealand/Australia slave trade in the South Pacific during the early 1860’s. The tale revolves around the purported capture and sale of 144 people at an unknown date in 1863 from the island of ‘Ata and the later resettlement of the remaining inhabitants on ‘Eua Island, south-east of Tongatapu. The small and remote island of ‘Ata is now part of the present day Kingdom of Tonga and was discovered by the Dutch in 1643. It was named Pylstaart Island by Abel Tasman after the many tropic birds frequenting it. The villain of the slaving tale is Captain Thomas James McGrath of the Hobart whaler, the Grecian. If the author is to be believed, McGrath resembles a dastardly pirate from his looks to his behaviour, having forsaken whaling for the more lucrative occupation of slave trading.
