Whakamana Cannabis Museum

Whakamana, or The New Zealand Institute for Cannabis Education, Research and Development is New Zealand's first museum dedicated to the history of cannabis use and culture.[1] It was first opened in October 2013 in Dunedin as part of a project spearheaded by Abe Gray, former deputy leader of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP),[2] and Julian Crawford, former ALCP regional spokesperson.

Whakamana Cannabis Museum of Aotearoa
The former Christchurch location, closed in April 2020.
Established2013
TypeScience, Social History
AccreditationMuseums Aotearoa
DirectorAbe Gray, Michael Mayell
Websitecannabisinstitute.ac.nz

In 2019 Whakamana relocated to Shand's Emporium in Christchurch as a new project directed by Abe Gray and Cookie Time founder Michael Mayell.[3][4]

Following revenue issues and a failure to find suitable investors, the Christchurch location was closed. As of April 2020, Gray is attempting to establish a new site in central Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. As a political hub which houses New Zealand's parliamentary buildings, Gray considers the location to be more effective in the lead-up to the referendum.[5]

Whakamana was designed to be a national information centre on aspects of the science, history, and legislation surrounding cannabis, with an aim to educate, particularly in the lead up to the 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum.[6] It operates within New Zealand's laws and does not sell cannabis.[6] However, Whakamana previous stated they would setup a dispensary provided the law allows it to following the referendum.[7]

Under the direction of the 2019 project, Whakamana sought to establish itself as a social club, an authority for cannabis education and events (i.e. lectures by figures in the cannabis industry), and an alcohol-free music venue and eatery producing hemp-based foods.[8] In late 2019, the museum attempted to raise funds via PledgeMe, a crowdfunding platform for New Zealand-based businesses, to help complete restoration of their new site. The campaign failed to raise its minimum target of $1 million NZD, therefore investors were refunded and the campaign was voided.[2]

Early formation
The original museum was created in the Legalise Cannabis House, pictured in late 2016.

Originally located in Dunedin, the museum was first operated in the Legalise Cannabis House on David Street. The museum served as an information service to educate the public about all aspects of cannabis, including books that are unavailable at other libraries.[6] In addition to acting as a museum and serving as a centre for drug law reform advocacy, the museum promoted open-source computer software.[9] It also featured meeting rooms and a digital multimedia studio.[1]

The museum was opened in 2013 by Abe Gray, known for his cannabis activism as the former deputy leader of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party and leader of cannabis lobby group Otago NORML, and Julian Crawford, the former ALCP regional spokesperson.[9] It was reportedly a venture between the ALCP and Otago NORML.[10] Dunedin has had a long history of advocacy for marijuana law reform largely through the latter organisation.[9]

Gray, who is originally from the United States of America, has a Masters in Botany.[11] He has spoken out about the discrimination of cannabis users and has been described as a lobbyist and an activist for cannabis.[12] Gray publicly left his role as the president of the ALCP to support The Opportunities Party (TOP) in 2017, believing the organisation to be the most viable political platform to help effect cannabis law change at the time.[13] Gray hoped that support from former ALCP voters would help TOP to enter parliament without requiring an electorate seat.[14] Gareth Morgan, then the party leader, praised Gray for supporting the party's Real Deal Cannabis reform.[15]

In 2018 the museum left its original home in South Dunedin to occupy a new central city premises in the Eldon Chambers Building in Princes Street.[16] During this time, comedian Guy Williams documented the museum in a segment for the comedy programme Jono and Ben.[17] Gray stated that the presence of the museum in Dunedin would put it in the ideal position to become a centre for cannabis tourism should the drug ever be legalised in New Zealand, referencing the city's history of support for law change relating to drug use and possession.[9] However, the museum moved again in 2019, this time to Christchurch; Gray had hoped to keep a branch of the museum running in Dunedin, but found the idea unsustainable due to a reliance on volunteers.[4]

2019 Christchurch project
Mayell (left) and Gray speaking at the University of Canterbury, October 2019.

In mid-2019 the museum left Dunedin and relocated to Christchurch. Gray teamed with Michael Mayell, a social entrepreneur and environmentalist known for founding the snack company Cookie Time. Mayell has an interest in the emerging hemp economy and argues that it could allow New Zealand to reduce its reliance on dairy farming.[18]

Shand's Emporium being restored next to Trinity Church in 2018.

The museum was housed in Shand's Emporium building on Manchester Street in Christchurch, having been relocated from its original site in Hereford Street and adjoined to the neighbouring Trinity Church, with plans to restore the church as the central space for the museum. Both buildings are among the oldest in Christchurch and had required restoration following the 2011 Christchurch Earthquake.[19]

The organisation operated a Cannabis Social Club, which was New Zealand's only functioning club in 2019.[11] In 2020 the club raised funds to move to an independent location with the help of Whakamana.[20]

Whakamana had intended to establish an education centre to provide public access to science, literature, and experiences to promote cannabis education.[21] The museum held hosted events featuring notable individuals and experts on cannabis including activist and green fairy[note 1] Rose Renton.[22]

In May 2020, Mayell revealed that revenue issues had forced the museum to close its Christchurch location. Whakamana would move to Wellington in the form of a new project. The building remains in the hands of the Christchurch Heritage Trust.[5]

Crowdfunding campaign

In a press release, Gray and Mayell announced plans to raise $1 million NZD via the crowdfunding platform PledgeMe to complete the church restoration and expand their services and resources, offering one share per dollar at a minimum of fifty shares.The campaign went live in late 2019.

By the end of the fundraising period the campaign had raised $214,616 (NZD) from 299 people.[23] However, the campaign had failed to raise its minimum target of $1 million NZD, therefore the total amount was returned to investors in accordance with the terms of PledgeMe. Gray initially attributed the failure of the campaign to a lack of awareness about the project among the local cannabis community, but argued in a later interview that prevailing cannabis stigma had played a role.[24][25]

Following the failure of the campaign, Gray and Mayell said they were approaching investors and seeking alternative means of funding, and would seek overseas investors if suitable New Zealand investors could not be found.[2]

2020 Wellington project

In January 2020, Whakamana Museum posted on their Facebook page that they were seeking volunteers to set up a temporary pop-up museum in Wellington, intending to keep it running until the 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum is resolved.[26] Gray moved to Wellington to facilitate the project. Whakamana had planned to have a location setup in time for April, however this was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.[24]

After deciding it was untenable to continuing leasing the Manchester Street premises, Whakamana announced they would close their Christchurch premises permanently to focus resources on the Wellington project.[5]

Notes
  1. "Green fairy" is an informal term for someone who supplies medical cannabis product directly to people, typically working outside of the law.

References
  1. "Grand Opening for New Zealand's first cannabis museum", scoop.co.nz, 25 September 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  2. "Christchurch Cannabis museum searching for investors after failing to reach funding goal". Stuff. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  3. "WHAKAMANA MUSEUM LIMITED (7469137)". New Zealand Companies Registrar. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019.
  4. Lewis, John (2 November 2019). "Cannabis Museum moves north". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  5. "Cannabis museum leaving Christchurch heritage building for capital". Stuff. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  6. "Cannabis museum opens in Dunedin". Newshub. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  7. "Whakamana Press Release". Whakamana. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  8. Saturday; December 2019, 14; Museum, 4:53 pm Press Release: Whakamana. "Clock ticking to invest in possibly NZ's first cannabis cafe | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 11 January 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. Chilton-Towle, J., "Dunedin marijuana museum planned", Otago Daily Times, 1 September 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  10. "Cannabis museum part of campaign". Stuff. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  11. Doyle, C., "", Critic (magazine), 17 September 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  12. "Flying high: Customs officer warns museum curator over cannabis T-shirt". Stuff. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  13. "Gareth Morgan's message on cannabis hits home". Stuff. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  14. "Cannabis Party leader quits for Opportunities Party". Newshub. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  15. Simmons, Geoff (6 June 2017). "Defection of ALCP President Abe Gray to The Opportunities Party (TOP)". TOP. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  16. "Dunedin's Cannabis Museum left high and dry over alleged fake landlord". Stuff. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  17. New Zealand Today - The Dunnerz Cannabis Museum, retrieved 14 January 2020
  18. Loughrey, David (7 January 2019). "Cannabis museum for Christchurch". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  19. "Cannabis advocates aim to transform Christchurch heritage buildings into 'cannabis HQ'".
  20. "The fundraising event is open to anyone... - Whakamana: The Cannabis Museum of Aotearoa | Facebook". 7 February 2020. Archived from the original on 7 February 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  21. Sunday; August 2019, 11; Museum, 3:41 pm Press Release: Whakamana. "Cannabis Institute for Christchurch Historic Buildings | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 22 October 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. Thursday; November 2019, 14; Museum, 8:01 am Press Release: Whakamana. "NZ's Best Known Green Fairy To Talk At Cannabis Museum | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. Retrieved 18 January 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. "Whakamana Museum Limited | PledgeMe". 18 December 2019. Archived from the original on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  24. Dastgheib, Shabnam. "The founder of a failed cannabis museum sounds a warning for similar startups". The Spinoff. The Spinoff. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  25. "Planned cannabis museum struggles to get funding". Newshub. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  26. "Whakamana: The Cannabis Museum of Aotearoa - Posts | Facebook". 12 January 2020. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
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