Collage

This collaged panel once hung in Wellington’s Evergreen Coffee Lounge in Vivian Street. 

It is part of a collection of panels and other items that relate to the life of Chrissy Witoko, the Evergreen Coffee Lounge, and the communities of people who congregated in the cafés and night clubs around Cuba and Vivian streets between about 1970 – 2002.

Each panel includes a combination of photographs featuring people that Chrissy associated with, news or magazine clippings, business cards and other ephemera.

This particular panel features mainly photographs from Chrissy's 50th birthday party. The celebrations were a major Wellington event, and entry was by invitation only. The party was held on 10th September 1994 in the Garden Plaza of the newly-opened Majestic Centre, and was attended by 500 guests, including the soon-to-be mayor of Wairarapa, Georgina Beyer and Carmen Rupe. Chrissy was presented with a beautiful throne from former Dominion Tavern owners Larry and Janiel Phillips, and was crowned "Queen Christine of Wellington."

Some of the people featured in this panel are:
Members of Te Roopu O Whaihuarahi (Chanel's kapa haka group), Daniel Fielding, Tony Irving, De za Star (Kneel Halt), Kone Kon (KK), Johnny Croskery, Peter Koiiman, Malcolm Vaughan, Jennifer Lee Edwards, Dana de Milo, Rikki Love, Trevor Lawlor, Geoff Fortune, Michael Bell, Pat Bell (Michael's mother), Carmen Rupe, Chrissy Witoko, Rose, Cilla Wallace, Ruby, Vickie Motu, Daisy, Mirianata (Chrissy's niece), Dion Kerehoma, Jenny Kapua (Edwards), Phil Smees (owned Casper's bar), Millie Witoko (Chrissy's mother), Ellen Hepburn with her mother, Bill Hornibrook, Ian, Andrew Manuel, Serena Barrett, Alexis Kennedy, Michael Te Huki, Larry Phillips, Michael Bell, Mike McCormack, Laura Williams, Jacqui Grant, Brian Jenkin, Christine Colman, Faith, Rick and Symon Witoko (Chrissy's siblings), Kim Scholey, Andrew Pihema, Des, Ella Wilson, Rex Perenara, Patches, Gypsy Tawhaki, Frank Lund, Win Rangimarie (Chrissy's sister), Selina Ihaia, Nikora Manuel, Tania Karaitiana and Rangi Carrol.

Te Papa is working in collaboration with LGBTI communities and individuals to discover the histories represented in the panels. If you have any information you would like to share in relation to this panel please contact a history curator at Te Papa on +64 (0)4 381 7000 or email Evergreen@tepapa.govt.nz