Tiny Book, Big Things, Mighty Kaupapa

How many ‘Big Things’ have you visited? There are over 10,000 of these larger-than-life kitsch roadside structures around the world, and 125 (and counting!) in Aotearoa New Zealand. Big Things were first built along American roadsides – particularly in California – during the 1920s to boost small-town tourism economies by attracting passing motorists. By the late 1960s, Big Things were popping up around Aotearoa New Zealand. The three most iconographic structures; the Big L&P bottle in Paeroa (late 1960s); the Big Carrot in Ohakune (mid-1980s); and the Brown Trout in Māruawai / Gore (late 1980s) were some of the earliest Big Things to have been built. They predated the local Big Things’ boom of the 1990s, and were often cited as inspirations for other structures being built across the country.

Like their international counterparts, Big Things here reflect unique regional identities that are often aligned with locally-significant industries. They are also used as eye-catching forms of business advertising, and some are located on arts trails. Although their fun aesthetic can lead to Big Things getting dismissed as no-longer relevant historic Kiwiana artefacts, Big Things are in fact, important structures. With so many of our towns invested in maintaining their status as the ‘New Zealand Capital of ‘insert here’, these structures are not only a matter of boosted tourism possibilities and income, but also regional pride and identity. Yet in equal measure, Big Things are also complex and contested objects: they have the effect of overtaking other place narratives due to their sheer volume and hyper-visibility. Some Big Things are vandalised in protests, and others are backdrops for political speeches. Councils and Community boards actively fundraise for Big Things’ refurbishment. Local businesses and individual people in towns with Big Things are deeply invested in maintaining these structures, and many Kiwi families have nostalgic attachments to favourite Big Things visited on family road trips.

I too fell in love with particular Big Things over the course of completing the long-term academic research from which this pocket-size pukapuka stems. It’s hard not to when you know the folks who lovingly decorate and dress up the Big Takahē in Te Anau for local events, or when you’ve met the whānau at Kaipara Kumara who have been refurbishing old Big Fresh characters for generations as a gift to the town of Ruawai. Big Things are more than just over-sized vegetables on the side of our roadsides: they are local stories waiting to be told and discovered. In fact, they have been getting built in Aotearoa New Zealand for over 65 years, but up until now, they have largely been left out of literature.

While A Tiny Book of 100 Big Things in Aotearoa New Zealand is intended as a guidebook and not a historical overview, it is the first book of its kind to specifically highlight local Big Things. The book includes multiple indexes and an illustrated fold-out map for easy reference, and its small size makes it easy to mail overseas, fit into a backpack or store in a car glovebox. Plus – this tiny travel companion packs a mighty kaupapa: 100% of the profits are donated to create scholarships for students in social sciences and humanities. With 100 structures included alongside their GPS Coordinates, chances are, a Big Thing you didn’t know about is just around the corner, or a short detour away on your next road trip!

Written by Dr Maja Zonjić, author of A Tiny Book of 100 Big Things in Aotearoa New Zealand

www.aotearoabigthings.com