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 panel may have been hung when the café opened in 1984, but it includes images that date back to the 1970s. Most photographs included in this collage depict the Auckland gay, lesbian and transgender community in particular, and many were taken by the New Zealand art photographer Fiona Clark.

Many of the photographs were taken at the first Miss New Zealand Drag Queen Contest at the Peter Pan Cabaret in Auckland on 2 June 1975. The competition was judged by David Hartnell and Carmen Rupe. The title of Miss New Zealand Drag Queen 1975 was awarded to Belinda Lee Bolase, with Ella (Josie Turner) as runner up.

Assorted images were taken at Auckland nightclubs the Golden Net (owned by Bubbles/Tiny Tina) and at Mojos. Some of the people featured in this panel are:
Dianna Adams, Sheila McCoy, Chrissy, Samantha, Geraldine (Ian), Belinda Lee Bolase, Bubbles (Tiny Tina), Vicky Laurance, Jackie Monroe (Levi), Ella (Josie Turner), Gypsy, Laura Williams, Chrissy Witoko, Marlene, Carmen Rupe, Dion Kerehoma, Gina L'amour, Jackie, Aunty Mamie Raroa, Cherie Skipper, Shirley and Kim Royes.

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