This lace shawl from Shetland has a beautiful history.
In 2010 a disaster in the Pike River Mine devastated West Coast communities. The event killed 29 men and was New Zealand’s worst mining disaster since 1914 when 43 men died at Ralph’s Mine. A film was made fifteen years after the event and screened at the Regent Theatre in Greymouth, the closest town to the mine.
The Shetland lace shawl was given to a local family who were affected by the events at the mine and was just one of the commemorative items that were sent to families from across the world.
Textiles like this carry such weight. They are reminders of a terrible time but carry a message of warmth and tenderness. It was a huge honour to be shown this beautiful piece and to be reminded of the close links between the Shetland Isles and this part of Aotearoa.
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