Levin had a cenotaph as a World War One memorial in 1923, and the Soldiers’ cemetery where these 8 Phoenix palms are found was planned as early as 1945[1]. From the photo of a 1969 Anzac day ceremony, where a 3 metre high Phoenix palm can be seen, a planting date of circa 1959 seems likely. The association between war memorials and Phoenix palms is well known, however, this group is significant as the palms are the sole planting in the soldiers’ cemetery, which also functions as an Anzac ceremony site (see photos). Historical scholarship has suggested that palms symbolise both victory and matyrdom, and whereas this may be sound, the photos show that it is the verticality and sentinel-like nature of the palms that makes them so functional in such a memorial setting. The planting is well-designed with a very symmetrical placement of the palms around the memorial flagpole (Lloyd, M., 2023) .
Reference:
1. ‘Soldiers’ cemetery’, Opotiki News, 12 October, 1945, p. 2