Pacific and Māori communities made up a majority of the Crown Lynn workforce - illustrated above by this 1981 ethnic breakdown of factory staff [1]. Thus, the stories of Pacific and Māori workers, and their myriad of skills and talents, are integral to any history of Crown Lynn.  

A fantastic way to see the influence of Pacific and Māori communities on Crown Lynn is through the objects produced in the factory. Crown Lynn produced an astounding number of diverse designs, and oftentimes these were inspired by contemporary trends or themes. The 1960s were dominated by traditional English aesthetics, the 1970s by flower-power browns and oranges, and the 1980s by sophisticated blacks, greys, and pinks.  

Aotearoa in the 1970s was a rapidly changing place. A huge influx of people were arriving on our shores from all across the world, many of whom from our neighbouring Pacific Islands. The Pacific population in Aotearoa rose quickly during this period, with the 1971 to 1976 censuses reporting an increase of over 20,000 Pacific peoples in New Zealand [2]. A key motivator for many Pasifika families was the promise of work, and Crown Lynn was one of many factories which employed a huge number of new migrants.  

Crown Lynn responded to this increasing diversity, producing several designs that mirrored Pacific design motifs. The symmetrical triangular patterns and repeated floral motifs on these cups are reminiscent of traditional Pacific bark-cloth designs - including Māori tapa, Sāmoan siapo, Fijian masi, and Tongan ngatu. This connection illustrates Crown Lynn’s desire to create products that spoke to Pacific communities. As yet, we don’t know what influence Pacific employees had on the creation of these designs. Perhaps employees collaborated to produce designs which felt familiar to them and their whanau, or perhaps it was simply the changing cultural landscape of Aotearoa that prompted Crown Lynn to diversify their product-base.  

Regardless, these Crown Lynn pieces are symbolic of a shifting cultural identity within Aotearoa. The 1970s was a decade marked with increasing global connectedness, and Aotearoa’s position as a Pacific nation was becoming evermore significant. In 1972, Greenpeace sent vessels to the Mururoa Atoll in French Polynesia - protesting against ongoing French nuclear testing at the site. In May of 1973, the New Zealand and Australian governments took France to the International Court of Justice, attempting to ban the nuclear tests [3]. Closer to home, the Waitangi Tribunal was set up in 1975, allowing Māori to formally seek redress from the Crown for breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi - Aotearoa’s founding document [4].  

Clearly, the 1970s was a crucial period in Aotearoa’s socio-cultural history. Our identity was transforming into one which recognised our fundamental position as a diverse Pacific nation, moving away from our colonial ties to the British motherland. These Crown Lynn pieces are a material representation of this shift. They symbolise the experience of Pacific immigrants, and how they curated their space in New Zealand, bringing with them rich cultural practices which have enhanced this country ever since.  

[1] J. A. Longley, “Interhouse Correspondence, Ethnic Breakdown of Factory Staff”, Crown Lynn Ceramics (N.Z.) Limited, February 13, 1981. Portage Ceramics Trust Collection. 

[2] “Timeline of the Dawn Raids”, Manatū Taonga, Ministry for Culture and Heritage, September 5, 2024, https://www.mch.govt.nz/our-work/heritage-sector/understanding-dawn-raids/timeline-dawn-raids 

[3] “Nuclear Testing in the Pacific”, New Zealand History – Ministry for Culture and Heritage, June 29, 2023, https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/nuclear-free-new-zealand/testing-in-the-pacific 

[4] “The 1970s”, New Zealand History – Ministry for Culture and Heritage, August 28, 2024, https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/the-1970s/overview