William Ray
The science of Matariki
Professor Rangi Mātāmua talks about the 120-year-old book which has preserved his ancestors' knowledge of Māori astronomy.
AudioOur Changing World for 4 July 2019
To mark Matariki, the Māori New Year, we join Dr Rangi Matamua from the University of Waikato to hear about Māori astronomy. Audio
Baby farming scandal: The Motherhood of Man
In 1953 New Zealand was rocked by an enormous scandal. A group called the Motherhood of Man Movement had been caught running a baby farming scheme. Audio
Telling the Time
Nights' physicist Shaun Hendy joins us once again. Tonight we're using dimensional analysis to tell the time. Audio
Game of Thrones 101
Game of Thrones mania is upon us, as the final season premiered on television around the world yesterday. If you're wondering what the fuss is about, RNZ's resident GoT expert takes you through a… Video, Audio
The story of White Supremacy
In this special episode of Black Sheep, William Ray looks at the history of white supremacy in NZ. Audio
RNZ's Bang and Black Sheep live shows
The creators and hosts of the popular RNZ podcasts BANG! and Black Sheep are heading to Christchurch for a live show! Audio
Counting Black Sheep
A few listeners told William this podcast puts them to sleep. But you know what? He's just happy to help. If you'd like William to put you to sleep in person: book a FREE ticket to our live podcast… Audio
Soldier of Fortune: the story of Gustavus von Tempsky (part 2)
In part two, how Gustavus von Tempsky went from a relatively famous soldier to the uber-hero of NZ colonial history. Audio
Soldier of Fortune: the story of Gustavus von Tempsky (part 1)
He was larger than life, a warrior and artist who's legend has only grown since his death in 1868.... but Gustavus von Tempsky had a dark side Audio
Traitor: the story of Patrick Heenan (part 2)
Why do some historians think an NZ-born traitor was "instrumental" in the Japanese victory in Singapore during WWII? Audio
Traitor: the story of Patrick Heenan (Part 1)
What drove a boy from Reefton to turn against his comrades in World War Two? How was a former boxing and swimming champion recruited as an agent of Imperial Japan? Audio
Con-artist: the story of Amy Bock
Amy Bock was a criminal "supreme in her cleverness". Her most famous con saw her pose as a man for 15 weeks and marry the daughter of her landlord. Nobody has ever been able to explain what motivated… Audio
Headhunter: the story of Horatio Robley (part 2)
The story of Horatio Robley continues... How did a man once dubbed a "predator of culture" for his collection of Maori heads become better known as a "friend of the Maori"? Audio
Black Sheep: controversial characters from New Zealand history
'Black Sheep' is back for a new season, with host William Ray telling more stories about colourful and controversial characters from New Zealand history. We play part of the first episode of a… Audio
Headhunter: the story of Horatio Robley
Horatio Robley witnessed the most famous battle of the New Zealand Wars, he fathered a child with the daughter of a sworn enemy, his sketching helped end a war, his book helped save the art of Maori… Audio
Our Changing World for 25 October 2018
A project to map manuka flowering and help bee keepers pick the best places for their hives, and screening native plants to find resistance to myrtle rust. Audio
Patriarchy is the Black Sheep
Black Sheep will be returning on October 29th! In the meantime RNZ producer Sonia Sly is slipping into your feed with the latest episode of her excellent podcast Beyond Kate Audio
History vs science vs religion
Scientist Quentin Atkinson has looked at how the structure of Pacific societies determined how quickly they converted to Christianity - but an historian is not so sure of his conclusions. Audio
History vs science vs religion
Scientist Quentin Atkinson has looked at how the structure of Pacific societies determined how quickly they converted to Christianity - but an historian is not so sure of his conclusions.
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