The University of Otago's past, present and future were interwoven during the university's long-weekend 150th anniversary celebrations.
After the fireworks display above the Dunedin Municipal Chambers on Saturday, some of the razzle-dazzle continued during the annual rugby game between Selwyn and Knox Colleges, the oldest at the university, yesterday.
Selwyn College was hot on attack in the first half of the University Oval game, refereed by MP Michael Woodhouse, but fullback Isaac Milne kept Knox in the game with two brilliant breakaway tries late in the half.
In the last main event of the weekend celebrations, Selwyn eventually won 38-17, taking the Somerville Shield, competed for between the colleges since 1974.
The referee from the University centennial clash in 1969 between the two teams (won by Knox 3-0), Allan Blaikie, conducted the toss and blew the whistle to start the match.
If the rugby clash blended old traditions with some exciting rugby talents of the future, university vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne added that the overall anniversary celebrations also combined the university's past and future; its academic strengths in science, medicine and arts, and its strong cultural and sporting achievements.
The collegiate nature of Otago University meant it was a place to live as well as to learn.
"Some of the people coming here left this place decades ago - they've come back with a warm feeling in their hearts.
"That, for us, is a huge marker of success.''
Anniversary project co-ordinator Kerry Buchan said more than 1000 people had participated in the many weekend events, including 440 at the Dunedin Town Hall dinner on Saturday night.
And more than 800 had attended a gala concert "A Celebration of Otago in Words and Music'', organised by the music department, also at the town hall, on Sunday night.
Among the new voices emerging during the celebrations, Otago University Students Association president James Heath said in a speech the story of Otago was "not just a story of a university - a single thread from 1869 to 2019, but a tapestry of thousands upon thousands of individuals and their stories''.
Mr Heath said the weekend had been "a great success, an opportunity for us to look back and appreciate where we have come from, and look forward to where we must be going''.
