T-shirt (Cook Is original over stayers since 1960)

T shirts and culture history

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries T-shirts are a most accessible and widely worn type of clothing. They may appear to be ordinary everyday garments, seemingly insignificant in the regions material culture. However, T- shirts and the images that appear on them often lay claim to culture, imagination, history and places. They are an inexpensive and mass-produced form of clothing that is sometimes used like a canvas for artists to promote their causes, ideas and identities.

Original over stayers

This is a cornflower blue t-shirt with white and navy-coloured logo with the text: 'Cook Is original over stayers since 1960’. The term over stayer (sic) refers to people who illegally remained in New Zealand after the period of their permitted stay had expired. Despite the statement on this t-shirt, Cook Islands people in 1960 were legally New Zealand citizens so it was not possible for them to be overstayers.

Respect - Hip Hop Aotearoa 

This t-shirt is part of a collection of t-shirts that were displayed in the exhibition Respect - Hip Hop Aotearoa (2003) at TheNewDowse in the Hutt Valley, Wellington, New Zealand. In collaboration with well-recognized hip hop artists, the exhibition centred around first-person narratives from people within the hip hop community. Their artistry was explored through mural work, photography, graphic work, and digital media as a way of presenting their perspectives. The exhibition eventually toured for two years to other exhibition venues.

Acquisition history

This t-shirt was acquired from The NewDowse at the end of the ‘Respect - Hip Hop Aotearoa’ exhibition tour.