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New Zealand women won the right to vote on 19 September 1893. Visit the Ministry's NZHistory website to learn about more about the early suffragists and what they fought for and reflect on women’s rights today.
Suffrage Day
Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage is calling for applications from historians, researchers and non-fiction writers to produce stories about their communities. The Whiria Te Mahara New Zealand History Grant offers successful applicants up to $12,000 to to support history research and writing. Applications close on 15 October.
One month remaining to apply for the Whiria Te Mahara New Zealand History Grants
A government culture and heritage fund has provided a $16.5 million dollar boost to two cultural institutions in Te Waipounamu, the South Island: the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch and the Forrester Art Gallery in Oamaru. Image shows the foyer of the new Canterbury Museum with the blue whale skeleton suspended from the ceiling.
Regional culture and heritage fund provides $16.5m for South Island cultural institutions
Kismet, in association with Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), Firefly Films, Caravan Carpark Films and Kingston Productions are proud to release the trailer for the highly anticipated local feature film Uproar - which will have its nationwide cinema release on October 5, hot on the heels of its selection and screening at the revered Toronto International Film Festival this September.
Trailer Unveiled For Aotearoa Feature Film Uproar
Join us at the National Library of NZ in person or online to hear archivist and author Jared Davidson discuss his latest book, 'Blood and Dirt: Prison Labour and the Making of New Zealand' and the role prisoners have played in the development of modern New Zealand. Takes place on Wednesday 4 October at 12.10pm.
Public History talk - Prison labour and the making of New Zealand
Read a new Ministry report assessing the impact of the cultural recovery funding which supported 54 creative spaces. Cover image is of Jokani Coe performing in 'There is a Mountain inside my head' with Jolt. Photo taken by Charlie Rose, image courtesy of The Arts Centre.
Creative Spaces – impact of cultural recovery funding
NZ On Air’s Where Are The Audiences? research for 2023 shows audiences want their content when they want it – and that means on demand. The latest results from the series survey Where Are The Audiences? reveal audience behaviour in 2023, and how this compares to the 2021 survey, as well as the ongoing trend since the research began in 2014.
Strong growth in on demand viewing – latest audience trends from NZ On Air research
Following its triumphant premiere in 2019, the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s acclaimed Hansel & Gretel returns for Christmas 2023. Loughlan Prior, with Claire Cowan and Kate Hawley, has created a magical world of memorable characters. Touring nationwide from 26 October to 09 December, learn more on the Royal New Zealand Ballet's website.
Book now for the RNZB's Hansel & Gretel production
Following significant fono, talanoa, and engagement with the Pacific Arts community, Creative NZ are proud to share their Pacific Arts Strategy 2023-2028. This new strategy lays out their support for Pacific Arts over the next five years and is inspired by navigational stars across the skies of Aotearoa and Oceania. It is a vital, vibrant part of their wider strategic direction. Key features include an overarching vision, three key outcomes, and six priority areas for action – all of which are based on Kaupapa Pasifika values and principles. Read more on Creative NZ's website.
Creative New Zealand's Pacific Arts Strategy 2023-2028

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Home NZ Identity & Heritage Te Ara Taonga Tūhonohono – Connecting Tūhonohono – Connecting

Tūhonohono – Connecting

Connecting to iwi culture and heritage – finding out what agencies hold, and developing ongoing relationships to ensure discoverability and access to iwi taonga and heritage.

Click here to return to the Te Ara Taonga homepage

Repatriation Programme

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/about/repatriation

In 2003, the government mandated Te Papa to develop a formal programme for the repatriation of kōiwi and koimi tangata (Māori and Moriori skeletal remains) from international institutions to iwi.

Māori Collection

http://www.ngataonga.org.nz/collections/what-do-we-hold/film-and-video/taonga-maori-collection

The collection encompasses visual and audio items from around Aotearoa, and covers a range of genres and subjects, including records of karanga, whaikōrero, iwi and hapū histories, pōwhiri, wharenui and marae, kapa haka, Waitangi Day events (dating from 1934), weaving demonstrations, tukutuku, whakairo, and many more.

You can search through the collection yourself, or ask Ngā Taonga staff to show you what they have from your whānau / hapu / iwi.

Resources for Researching Genealogy

https://natlib.govt.nz/researchers/guides/whakapapa

This directs you to resources from the Alexander Turnbull Library and National Library collections, other online resources have also been included for their whakapapa content and relevance.

https://tiaki.natlib.govt.nz/#home

On Tiaki, the Alexander Turnbull Library's catalogue for unpublished collections, you can search Iwi/Hapū:

You can search through the collection yourself, or ask Library staff to show you what they have from your whānau / hapū / iwi.

http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/

The New Zealand Electronic Text Collection comprises significant Māori, New Zealand and Pacific texts and materials held by Victoria University of Wellington Library.

Māori and Archives New Zealand

https://archway.archives.govt.nz/

Archway contains descriptions of over 1.5 million records that have been transferred from government agencies

Archives New Zealand is entrusted with the care of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the 1835 Declaration of Northern Chiefs, and thousands of other archives such as Māori Land Court records that are tāonga for Māori. Both the Crown and claimants make extensive use of nineteenth century documents that are regularly cited in claims to the Waitangi Tribunal.

Examples of the types of materials held at Archives New Zealand:

  • Archives New Zealand holds the Māori Land Court Minute Books for the whole of New Zealand from 1865-1975. The information in the minute books has been indexed up until 1910, this index is available in our Wellington Reading Room. After this date you will need to know the names, dates and court in which you are interested.
  • Census records. Only a select few early regional and Māori census records have survived, for example:

Census of Māori and Moriori, 1864 [ABGP 7532 W4900 1], Māori Census, 1901; 1906; 1911 [MA 23 13*18], Māori Census, 1881 [MA 23 12*17]

  • A collection of more than 350,000 aerial photographs. Ranging from 1936 – 2005

You can search through the collection yourself, or ask archives staff to show you what they have from your whānau / hapu / iwi by emailing: [email protected]

Māori Artifacts at Te Papa Tongarewa

http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/Topic/1702

Collections Online has information on over 500,000 artworks, objects and specimens from Te Papa Tongarewa’s collections, as well as information on people, places, topics, species, and research from our curators.

Research areas

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/learn/research/our-research-areas/taonga-maori-research

Te Papa Tongarewa’s taonga Māori research informs exhibitions, collection development, popular and scholarly publications, and educational and public programmes. We aim to reconnect people with their tribal taonga and to assist the reclamation of Māori knowledge, language, and customs.

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/about/contact-us/help-identifying-object-treasure-or-specimen

Te Papa Tongarewa can help identify an object, a treasure, or a specimen.

https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/learn/research/research-visits-and-collections-access/research-library-and-reading-rooms/artists

Te Aka Matua holds over 5,000 individual files on New Zealand and international artists, Te Papa Tongarewa’s exhibitions, and other related subjects. New material is added daily. Each file includes articles, small exhibition catalogues, invitations, and other ephemera.

You can search through the collection yourself, or ask Te Papa Tongarewa staff to show you what they have from your whānau / hapu / iwi.

Sacred sites and ancestral sites

http://www.heritage.org.nz/the-list

The New Zealand Heritage Rārangi Kōrero list identifies historical and cultural places that are significant to Aotearoa/New Zealand. Entry on the List is a process that informs landowners and the public about these places, can support their protection, and applications for funding for preservation work. Members of the Tira liaise closely with tāngata whenua and other interested groups when preparing proposals for wāhi tapu, wāhi tapu areas and wāhi tūpuna.

Decisions for entry on the List of wāhi tapu, wāhi tapu areas and wāhi tūpuna are made by the Māori Heritage Council.  

You can search through the List yourself, or ask Heritage New Zealand staff to show you what they have from your whānau / hapu / iwi.

Manatū Taonga - telling stories

http://www.28maoribattalion.org.nz/

This site is dedicated to the men who served with New Zealand’s 28th (Māori) Battalion during the Second World War, and to their whānau and friends.

http://www.teara.govt.nz/mi

Encyclopaedia of New Zealand is a guide to our peoples, environment, history, culture and society. Te Ara also contains over 3,000 biographies from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.

https://teara.govt.nz/en/te-tai

Te Tai Treaty Settlement Stories is a large national research project aimed at increasing public understanding of New Zealand’s Treaty settlements and their impact.

https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/the-memorials-register

Memorials register with over 1000 memorials

http://www.vietnamwar.govt.nz/

The Vietnam War website is the hub for memories of New Zealand and the Vietnam War. It was created as part of the Vietnam War Oral History Project run by Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage between 2008 and 2012. Over 150 interviews were recorded between 2008 and 2012 by professional oral historians based around New Zealand. These interviews are archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library's Oral History Centre.

 

Updated on 14th March 2023