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Contribute to He Purapura Marara | Scattered Seeds

 

Share Your Story

 

He Purapura Marara | Scattered Seeds is Ōtepoti Dunedin's community archive. It preserves and shares the stories, photographs, memories, documents, and voices that reflect the people, places, cultures, and communities that have shaped our city.
Every contribution helps build a richer picture of life in Ōtepoti. Whether it's a family photograph, a migration story, a community newsletter, a recording of a local event, or a personal memory, your contribution becomes part of the historical record for future generations.
Like the scattered seeds that give the archive its name, every story has the potential to take root and become part of our collective history.


We invite you to help preserve the stories of Ōtepoti Dunedin by contributing your own memories and materials.

 

 

Why Contribute?

 

Many important stories are not found in official records. They live in family albums, personal collections, community archives, and people's memories.

By sharing your materials, you help:

 

  • Preserve local history and community memories
  • Celebrate the diversity of Ōtepoti Dunedin
  • Record everyday life as well as significant events
  • Support researchers, students, historians, and whānau
  • Make unique stories and experiences accessible to others
  • Ensure future generations can better understand the people and communities who have called Dunedin home


Every contribution, no matter how small, adds another piece to the story of our city.

 

 

What Can I Contribute?

 

We welcome material relating to the history and life of Ōtepoti Dunedin and the surrounding region.

Examples include:

 

Photographs

  • Family photographs
  • School photographs
  • Sports teams and clubs
  • Community events
  • Streets, buildings, and neighbourhoods
  • Cultural celebrations
  • Workplaces and businesses

 

Documents

  • Letters and postcards
  • Diaries and journals
  • Programmes and brochures
  • Community newsletters
  • Club and society records
  • Certificates and memorabilia
  • Posters and flyers

 

Audio and Video

  • Oral history interviews
  • Community recordings
  • Event footage
  • Personal recollections
  • Speeches and performances

 

Stories and Memories

  • Family histories
  • Migration and settlement stories
  • Personal reflections
  • Community experiences
  • Cultural traditions and celebrations

 

We particularly welcome contributions that reflect the experiences of communities that may be underrepresented in traditional historical collections.

 

 

Who Can Contribute?

 

Everyone is welcome.

 

We encourage contributions from:

 

  • Individuals and families
  • Whānau and hapū
  • Community organisations
  • Cultural associations
  • Migrant and refugee communities
  • Faith groups
  • Sports clubs
  • Schools and educational organisations
  • Businesses and workplaces
  • Former residents of Dunedin

 

The archive grows through the collective contributions of the community.

 

 

How to Contribute

 

Step 1: Gather Your Material

 

Select the photographs, documents, recordings, or stories you would like to share.

 

Step 2: Tell Us About It

 

Provide as much information as possible, including:

 

  • Title or description
  • Approximate date
  • Location
  • Names of people involved
  • Community, organisation, or event represented
  • Any relevant background information

 

Don't worry if you don't know all the details—share what you can.

 

Step 3: Upload or Contact Us

 

You can:

  • Upload digital files through the contribution form, or
  • Contact us if you have physical items that may need digitisation

 

Step 4: Review

 

Library staff will review your submission, discuss any questions with you if required, and assess whether the material is suitable for inclusion in the archive.

 

Step 5: Preservation and Access

 

Approved contributions will be catalogued, preserved, and made discoverable through He Purapura Marara | Scattered Seeds.

 

 

Copyright and Ownership

 

Do I Keep Ownership of My Material?

Yes.

 

Contributors retain ownership and copyright of their original material unless a separate agreement is made.

Unless otherwise agreed in writing, material made available through He Purapura Marara | Scattered Seeds is provided under the default Creative Commons licence: Creative Commons Attribution–NonCommercial–NoDerivatives (CC BY-NC-ND). This licence allows users to share and reuse the material for non-commercial purposes with appropriate attribution, but does not permit modification of the material.

 

What Permission Am I Giving?

 

By contributing material, you grant Dunedin Public Libraries permission to:

 

  • Digitise material where required
  • Preserve and manage the content
  • Create catalogue descriptions and metadata
  • Make the material available through He Purapura Marara | Scattered Seeds
  • Use the material for research, education, and public access purposes

 

What If I Don't Own the Copyright?

 

Please only submit material that:

 

  • You created yourself, or
  • You own the copyright to, or
  • You have permission to share

 

If copyright ownership is unclear, library staff can discuss the situation with you before publication.

 

 

Privacy and Cultural Considerations

 

We recognise that some materials may contain:

 

  • Sensitive personal information
  • Information about living people
  • Culturally significant knowledge
  • Māori cultural material or mātauranga Māori
  • Content that may require special consideration or restricted access

 

If you have concerns about privacy, cultural sensitivity, or access conditions, please let us know when you submit your material. We are committed to working respectfully with contributors and communities.

 

 

Physical Items

 

If your photographs, documents, or memorabilia are not already digitised, we may be able to assist.

In many cases:

 

  • Items can be digitised by library staff
  • Original items remain with the owner
  • Digital copies can be added to the archive

 

Please contact us to discuss your collection.

 

 

Before You Submit

 

Please ensure:

 

ü The material relates to Ōtepoti Dunedin or the surrounding region

ü You own the material or have permission to share it

ü The information provided is as accurate as possible

ü You have identified any privacy or cultural considerations

ü You agree to Dunedin Public Libraries contacting you about your submission

 

 

Help Build Our Shared History

 

He Purapura Marara | Scattered Seeds exists because of the generosity of people willing to share their stories, memories, and collections.

Whether your contribution is a single photograph, a treasured family story, or an entire community collection, it helps create a richer and more inclusive record of life in Ōtepoti Dunedin.

 

Share your story and help preserve our community's history for future generations.

 

For enquiries about contributing, digitisation services, or copyright, please contact the Heritage Collections team at Dunedin Public Libraries.

 

For more information see:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en

Digital Archives Collection Policy