Wreath

This protest wreath takes the form of a typical memorial wreath laid at tombs of soldiers and cenotaphs on Anzac Day but carries an anti-war message: ‘all civilian casualties of war’. It was laid at the Wellington Citizen’s Wreath-laying Service at the Cenotaph on 25 April 2018 by members of Peace Action Wellington.

Peace Action wanted to counter what they saw as increasingly romanticised narratives of Anzacs as the heroes and key protagonists of New Zealand’s military and war histories during the centenary of the First World War (1914-19). Their aim was to remind people of civilian casualties of war (and those specifically linked to New Zealand military actions), and to remember those who have opposed war (e.g. conscientious objectors).

Emma Cullen made this wreath from upcycled materials. Often wreaths are made from fresh flora, but she wanted to make a wreath which could be used again. She purchased the flowers on Trade me, found the boogie board in the Southern Landfill shop in Wellington, and the green pantyhose in an opportunity shop, and the message was written on a strip of old shower curtain.

The wreath was received peacefully. However, a year earlier, when Peace Action laid wreaths on Anzac Day in 2017, they encountered outrage from some attendees at the commemorations who believed that Anzac Day was for military service people alone and shouldn’t be co-opted for other purposes. This debate is not new. Anzac Day ceremonies are usually based at war memorials which can be potent sites for anti-war and anti-militarism protest, where activists can challenge attendees to acknowledge other victims of warfare, and to question New Zealand’s defence spending and involvement in overseas wars.