History
Fundraising effort for Southland war memorial restorer's work
In the leadup to Anzac Day, Southland war memorial restorer Ann Robbie has created silhouettes of a soldier to raise funds for her work in the region. Audio
Teaching Aotearoa's history in our schools
The final curriculum for teaching Aotearoa's history in schools is out, but what will students actually learn and how will they learn it? Audio
The mystery of a 100 year old postcard
In 1915 during the First World War a New Zealand soldier in his early twenties by the name of Bert Cooke from South Taranaki was on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean receiving medical care… Audio
Constant switches in care, but what progress has there been for Māori?
Analysis - That creaking sound you may have noticed at the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry was indeed the familiar sound of a rather old pendulum swinging, David Cohen writes.
'It brought everyone together': Moves to restore much loved pub
The Dux de Lux pub in Christchurch could be set to open its doors again if enough money can be raised to restore it. Audio
Blue Smoke: Getting it Together in the Country
In the late 60s the phrase "getting it together in the country" described bands who were burnt out from psychedelia, or just wanted some space, man. They removed themselves from the city to live… Audio
What does it mean to be 'neutral' over Ukraine - and what responsibilities come with it?
Studying past wars helps us understand what aspects of a current crisis might be worth asking critical questions about, Maartje Abbenhuis writes.
Abuse in Care commission challenged to drive genuine change
The Abuse in Care Royal Commission has been challenged by survivors to drive genuine change, not just another rebrand.
Today was the final day of a two-week hearing into Māori experiences of abuse.
… Audio
School history curriculum 'sign of a mature society'
Putting New Zealand's own history of the centre of the country's schooling is is the sign of a mature society and will help address inequities, educators say. Audio
Iwi join together to welcome back 300-year-old waka
A special ceremony was held in central Wellington in the wee hours of this morning, to mark the return of a very special waka.
Unearthed in the banks of Te Awakairangi or the Hutt River, the waka is… Video, Audio
History with Dr Grant Morris: Talking inflation
Dr Grant Morris explores the most famous historical examples of hyperinflation and conclude that things could be a lot worse. Audio
PM launches new history curriculum, discusses Covid-19 settings
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Ministers Kelvin Davis, Jan Tinetti, and Aupito William Sio launched the Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum at Sylvia Park School.
The first glance
A story of a community taking the lead to investigate their own history. Near the small fishing village of Moeraki, whānau members are doing the work of excavating, sorting, and identifying artifacts… Audio
Vintage shunt goes west as KiwiRail switches to electric option
KiwiRail's oldest diesel shunt is rolling full steam ahead into retirement.
Our Changing World - Community led archaeology
A story about a community taking the lead to research their own history. Audio
New Zealand History: Operation Grapple
It's a largely unknown chapter in New Zealand history called Operation Grapple. Operation Grapple was a series of nuclear tests conducted in the Mid-Pacific by the British Government from May 1957 -… Audio
What's driving Vladimir Putin?
People around the world are watching Russia's war on Ukraine in disbelief, wondering what's driving Vladimir Putin. Mr Putin calls the onslaught a "special military operation" to "demilitarize and… Audio
Blue Smoke: DJ Twist
In the 1960s there was a wave of pop DJs who decided to flip roles and become recording artists? Was this vanity? Certainly. Were the early local record companies offering sweeteners hoping their… Audio
Gideon Defoe: the stories behind the world's extinct countries
Not all nations last, and as author Gideon Defoe points out sometimes it's for the best. In his new book An Atlas of Extinct Countries, Defoe explores the fascinating and sometimes outlandish stories… Audio
'Fairly big and fairly chunky': Zoologist excited by extinct duck discovery
A new species of large, extinct duck has been discovered at one of the country's richest fossil sites in St Bathans in Otago. Audio