During Southland Heritage Month in March 2026, pupils were asked to create 111 new Sgt Dans to mark his birthday.
Their efforts are now on show in the front window of the Māruawai Centre in Norfolk St.
The project began with a special Educators Evening at the Māruawai Centre, where historian Stephanie Herring introduced teachers to the story of Sgt Dan and Gore’s Creamoata heritage.
Guided by artist Jacqui Byars, teachers were then given hands-on instruction about transforming this local history into creative and imaginative artworks.
Five schools answered the call: Tuturau School, Mataura School, Pukerau School, East Gore School and St Mary’s School.
Sgt Dan first appeared in 1915, quickly becoming the cheerful face of Creamoata, the breakfast cereal made at Fleming’s Mill in Gore.
One of the key messages behind the character was that Sgt Dan could do anything and be anything because he started each day with a hearty and healthy bowl of Creamoata porridge.
Whether climbing mountains, playing sport, helping others or tackling life’s adventures, Sgt Dan represented strength, health, energy and possibility.
Inspired by this original advertising message, students were challenged to imagine their own version of Sgt Dan.
The results are as varied and imaginative as the children themselves.
The artworks on display transform Sgt Dan into an extraordinary range of characters, including musicians, hunters, fishers, dancers, farmers, athletes, students and figures in costume.
Some are inspired by everyday Southland life, while others carry Sgt Dan into worlds of imagination and adventure.
Among the many Sgt Dans are several depictions of Pam, Sgt Dan’s lesser-known twin sister.
Introduced in the late 1920s, Pam was a Guide and was described in advertising of the time as being "typical of New Zealand girlhood — clean-limbed, sturdy, active and straight-thinking." Although Pam never achieved the same fame as her brother, she remains an important part of the Creamoata story.
Jacqui Byars worked with each of the schools to transform their ideas into finished artworks. Together, the students have created a collection that celebrates creativity, local history and the enduring message that with a good start to the day — and a healthy imagination — you really can do anything.
More than a century after his creation, Sgt Dan continues to inspire new generations. As plans for a permanent Creamoata display within the Māruawai Centre take shape, local tamariki have added their own chapter to this enduring story of innovation, industry, and community. — Allied Media
