50 years of activism

April 18, 2019 will mark the 50th anniversary of the taking over of the Straight at Cornell. It was the end of my sophomore year and finals were cancelled. I understood so little about the unresolved issues and demands of the African American protesters.

On April 23, there was a takeover of Day Hall.

Dale Corson was named president soon after the Straight takeover. His obituary gives one perspective on the event.

Summer and fall 1969

April 5, 2019, Auckland

It's Friday in Auckland and already this week we've had two birthdays, two cakes and two celebrations. Tomorrow is Andrew's brother's birthday and Sunday the family will get together to celebrate all the April birthdays. It's sunny and warm and what started out as a walk to the store this morning turned into a long, leisurely walk through Cornwall Park and a hike up to the peak to see how the trees are doing. When I was here in June 2016, Andrew and I went up to the watch the tree planting ceremony. It's described here in the Auckland Council report.

"A tree will once again stand on the tihi (summit) of Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill following a decision by the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority at their hui on Monday 19 October 2015. Planting will take place in winter 2016, during Matariki (Māori New Year) celebrations, where the previous iconic tree stood...Initially, a small grove of three young tōtara and six young pohutukawa, along with a shelter-band of native shrubs, will be planted to ensure the optimum chance of survival in the exposed conditions on the tihi. 

Over the course of several years, and overseen by arborists, a process of selection will see the stronger trees emerge. The aim is that after a decade there will be a single pohutukawa or tōtara.

All of the young specimens that will be planted in the new grove have been grown from parent trees at Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill. Some of the pohutukawa specimens have been sourced from seedlings that were found growing on the former Monterey pine tree that stood on the tihi. The pohutukawa seedlings were saved when the pine tree was removed and were cultivated in nurseries."

On the left, is the photo taken in 2016. You can barely see the fence to the right of the Obelisk and behind the shrubs. On the right, the trees in the center are now rising above the height of the fence.

The animals were all out in the park today and before I finished my circle around the park, the cattle had been moved from one field to another. The information cottage had a new display giving information on the trees, birds and ecology of the park. There were people everywhere in the park, many running the distance up to the obelisk and many pushing baby carriages. I made it my mission today to only take photos in which I could appear and with the bright sunshine I was able to let my shadow stand in for me. It was hard to resist photos I might have taken of the breathtaking views from the park, but I stuck with the exercise and the results are below.