Stories from the Top of the South
Welcome to The Prow, a website featuring historical and cultural stories from Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough.
The Prow, or Te Tau Ihu, is the Māori name for the top of the South Island: Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Maui. Te Tau Ihu is the mythical prow of Maui's waka, or canoe, from which he fished up the North Island.
http://www.theprow.org.nz/ features concise stories about the people, places and events unique to Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough. There are stories about explorers, early Māori life, the effect of European settlement on local iwi and the struggles and triumphs of the European settlers. Each of the stories includes extensive lists of, and links to, resources for further research in libraries, museums, on the web or out in the region itself.
We invite you to join our voyage and discover more about the region's history. The Prow has embarked with a number of fully researched stories, but there are many more to be told. You are welcome to add your own story, or to comment on our stories.
The Prow is a collaborative venture between the Nelson City, Tasman and Marlborough District Libraries, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology and The Nelson Provincial Museum. Images are supplied by supporting institutions, please check their terms of use.
Prow Features
Writing for The Prow Workshops
Workshops are offered in Marlborough @ Blenheim Library - 9.30am, Wednesday 21 July and Picton Library - 9.30 am, Thursday 22 July.
Please rsvp to joy@wordpower.co.nz, or phone 03 5207491, or register at the Blenheim or Picton Libraries by Monday 19 July, 2010.
Heritage walks with audio and GPS mapping:
Nine near Nile, Mayoral Memories and Nelson Literary Ramble
Nelson Historical Society Journal
Now available online. Articles cover a wide range of local historical research from across the top of the South.
Top of the South TimelineFind a story or an event using our timeline feature
Submit a story
Have you got a great story to tell about days gone by in the Nelson, Marlborough, Tasman regions? Then consider submitting a story. If you would like to attend a workshop to find out how to do this, please contact us.
Resources for teachers
We have included suggestions for using the Prow as a curriculum resource. We welcome further suggestions. Now includes the Prow Quiz.
Newsletters
Issue 3 (February 2010) is now available! Contact us if you would like to go on the email list for these.
Tools
Story of the Day — Sunday 01 August 2010
The Philanthropist and the Cawthron Institute
It was a love of science and the foresight of a Nelson philanthropist, Thomas Cawthron, that led to the establishment of an institute that is now a world leader in aquaculture and freshwater and marine ecosystems.







