Explore your family history at pop-up workshop

History comes to life at Kawakawa Library this week with a pop-up genealogy workshop as part of Family History Month.

The event, led by local history specialist Fiona Jenkins, will help anyone who is interested in researching their family history to do this through the archives and resources available at the library.

These include old photos, newspapers, magazines, online resources such as ancestry.com, Papers Past, DigitalNZ and access to the council cemetery search and FNDC Rediscovery.

Chromebooks – basic laptops - will be available with the various databases, and local archive material will be set up on tables for browsing.

The event, which runs from 10am-1pm on Thursday 22 August, is free and open to everyone. It aims to provide insight into the diverse cultures, traditions, and values that have shaped families in the Far North over generations.

History buffs can also enjoy talks on local history every second month at Kawakawa Library. The talks last for about 45 minutes and anyone interested in being a speaker should contact Kawakawa Library.

At Procter Library in Kerikeri, a genealogy group meets in the local history room on the first Thursday of the month 10am-noon, and a local history talk is held on the last Friday of the month 10.30am-11.30am.

The Procter Library’s local history room holds local history books and documents from Cape Reinga to the south of Kawakawa, Hokianga and Russell, as well as genealogy resources.

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