Creation of book a milestone for author

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa curator of history Dr Katie Cooper, originally from Gore, has published a new book. She recently had her book launch. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Born and raised in Gore, Dr Cooper now resides in Wellington and works as a curator of history at Te Papa Museum.

Her book is called Rēwena and Rabbit Stew: The Rural Kitchen in Aotearoa, 1800–1940.

In her book, she explores how cooking and food practices shaped the daily lives, homes and communities of rural Pākehā and Māori throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Delving into cooking technologies, provisions, gender roles and hospitality, the story of New Zealand’s rural kitchen highlights more than just the practicalities of putting food on the table.

Ms Cooper grew up on a small sheep farm just out of Gore.

She completed her PhD in history at the University of Otago and has been a curator at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa since 2016.

Her research focus is the social and material history of 19th-century New Zealand, and she has been working to highlight women’s histories in Te Papa’s collections.

Dr Cooper held her book launch last month and has officially got the book out for people to read.

She said creating the book was ‘‘quite a process’’.

‘‘The book was something I have been working on for quite a while,’’ Dr Cooper said.

‘‘I have been keeping it close to my heart and essentially navigated the process of collating information, writing, editing, sending it off for opinions and so much more.

‘‘To get it from there to actually publishing it was pretty awesome.’’

She said her family, who reside in Gore, were there for the launch and it felt like she was ‘‘accomplished’’.

‘‘There were definitely times where I thought this book would not come
out.

‘‘After so many years of writing, I definitely felt it was a real milestone for me.

‘‘I’m very excited and grateful to every person who assisted me in getting information for my book, from museums to volunteers and libraries also.

‘‘For now I get to soak it all in and hopefully hear some cool reviews.’’

She said people could buy the book online or possibly find it in stores.

evelyn.thorn@alliedpress.co.nz