Ōmata Scoops Gold

Ōmata, San Francisco and Panama are linked by this grand, gold-plated prize. The obverse of the medal features two nude classical figures reaching towards each other, superimposed over clouds and a bright sun over Panama. “DIVINE DISTNCTA IVNXIT HOMO” (the divine difference unites mankind) is marked, in Latin, at the base of the scene. The reverse of the medal is less obscure, depicting the grand structures of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition which was held in San Francisco in 1915. The massive world fair marked the opening of the Panama Canal and was a huge boost for the host city, which was still recovering from a catastrophic earthquake in 1906.

In The Story of the Exposition published in 1921 author Frank Morton Todd was enthusiastic about New Zealand’s contribution to the Exposition. These exhibits included kauri gum, tinned and refrigerated meats, flax, woollen products, a stuffed moa specimen and “radio-active mud from some of the hot-springs in the island”. But this particular medal was earned by something far less exotic, an exhibit of unsalted butter from Taranaki’s own Ōmata Dairy Company. Under the elaborate awards system, this gold medal was a third class award which was handed out when an exhibit scored between 85 and 94 points out of a possible 100.