Piopio museum’s new chair Saskia Lagocki hopes to bring the place back to life.
“[I have] a fascination for how life worked before modern technology.” The museum’s focal point is long-gone – Piopio blacksmith Bill Glasgow’s workshop.
“The forge works … horseshoes would have been the biggest, main use of it. The process involved intrigues me, having to get the fire right.
“If you don’t have a good fire, then you can’t move onto the next step.” The museum committee may showcase the forge in an open day, although no formal plans have been made.
While dedicated locals have acted as the museum’s kaitiaki, the collection had changed little in recent years.
Former chairman John Petre, who died in 2022, had a certain philosophy about how the organisation should operate, Saskia said.
“He was trying to capture a snapshot in time. So, everything was just left as it would have been left. That’s why things haven’t been done; things haven’t been touched.
“Things aren’t labelled in the museum … there’s a lot to be done.” Now, she hoped the museum would enter a new era.
“I think we’ve served the time as a snapshot in time, and now we’re looking to preserve [the collection]. That’s how I feel.”
Saskia hopes to connect the museum’s artifacts with meaningful stories and memories. She would like to collect Piopio elders’ stories to make sure they are kept.
“In a nutshell, the older people knew Bill Glasgow personally. Whether they actually worked with him, I’m not entirely sure on that one. But definitely they were customers of Bill’s.
“So, they interacted with him on a personal and busines level. And they’re able to bring out his character. I hear stories of how he was; he had a dry sense of humour.”
Saskia had been on the committee for three years but did not expect to become its chair.
“I’ve just ended up in this position,” she said. Yet, she knew the committee was behind her, offering support. So, she accepted the role as chairperson, despite a level of trepidation.
The new chair chose to live in Piopio township as a young adult.
“I met my partner in high school, at Taumarunui. And he got an apprenticeship here in Piopio. And then I was still in school. But when I left school, I used to visit him on the regular, of course. And then we moved down to New Plymouth and over to Taupō but both of us really liked Piopio.
“I didn’t know people here, but there was just a love for the place. We moved back here, and we’ve stayed here since. It’s a wonderful community.”
