Otago Sculpture Trust

Insite

Aramoana Memorial .......................Designer Bruce Bohm

We can get some idea of the awful toll on society taken by the carnage of the 1914-18 War when we remember the days following the terrible events of November 13 1990 when David Gray terrorized the township of Aramoana with his semi automatic weapon, claiming thirteen victims before himself being killed.

In both cases there were sudden and untimely loss of life, there were tales of heroism and determination. In both cases there was a tear in the social fabric that would never be completely repaired. After the war, however, the bereaved were offered the consolation that their loved ones were sacrificed to a greater cause. The survivors of Aramoana had no such comfort.

 Aramoana and Otago responded to the shocks and distress of the murders at Aramoana in a variety of ways. A trust fund for the victims was opened and quickly grew to more than $300,000. Counselling was made available to those who had experienced the terrible night of November 13. David Gray's house was burned down and the telephone box where one of the victims had died was removed by Telecom. A memorial service was held on the December 1 1990 which was attended by over 2000 people. Trees were planted in memory of the victims.

Added to this there were the more formal examinations of the event. There was a coroner's inquest and an inquiry into the police's handling of the events. On the first anniversary of the massacre TVNZ showed a documentary that allowed the survivors to tell their story. The Otago Daily Times also ran an anniversary feature.

The memorial at Aramoana is an enduring symbol of community memory. The memorial was designed by local architect Bruce Bohm. The central column of polished granite is inscribed with the names and ages of the thirteen victims of the shootings. Also engraved on the column of granite is a quotation from "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran. "If it is for your comfort to pour your darkness into space, it is also for you delight to pour forth the dawning of your heart." The lines are from a section on prayer and which enjoins the reader to pray not only in the depths of despair but also in times of joy. Mr Bohm explained that it was a passage that acknowledged that while harmony had been shattered the essential goodness of the settlement at Aramoana remained. Even deep pain, he explained, contains the seeds of joy.

The memorial sits unobtrusively in a small depression in the sand dunes near the edge of the settlement. The polished granite column sits on a rough granite dias at the centre of a circle formed by stones sent by people who wanted to contribute materially to the memorial. Above the circle a steel pyramid stretches to the heavens creating a notional roof for the memorial space.

The stone for the column was donated by Bingham and Company while the granite dias was donated by the Gore firm of McBride Brothers Monumental Masons.