Vincent O'Malley

150 years since the battle at Waerenga-ā-Hika East Coast iwi commemorates the 150th anniversary of the siege of Waerenga-ā-Hika pā near Gisborne today.

150 years since the battle at Waerenga-ā-Hika

www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu...

Universities in 'battle of the century' with journal publisher Elsevier One New Zealand university told its staff all universities in New Zealand and Australia would "lose some degree of access" to the publisher's 1600 titles from the start of next year.

Fully support the universities in this. But if they are genuinely committed to ensuring "free public access to the research...taxes had funded" maybe those that limit access to electronic copies of theses to current staff or students could open them up to the public.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

‘Reframes history’: fears Māori knowledge diluted in plan to revise New Zealand curriculum Minister rejects claims Māori history is being sidelined in rewrite which includes cutting some references to the Treaty of Waitangi

"It’s deeply alarming...Why are they trying to reframe this history? We need to grapple with it.”

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

Diluting history curriculum risks 'leaving our past to chance' - Academic The government has released the full draft of its new year 0-10 curriculum, which proposes dropping Aotearoa New Zealand's Histories and adding more international topics.

Diluting history curriculum risks 'leaving our past to chance' - Academic

www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu...

The Invasion of Parihaka On the anniversary of the invasion of Parihaka on 5 November 1881 I am reproducing an extract from Voices from the New Zealand Wars/He Reo Nō Ngā Pakanga o...

The invasion of Parihaka, 5 November 1881.

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Māori academic warns draft curriculum erases children's rights to local histories "Every child has a right to know whose land they stand on."

Māori academic warns draft curriculum erases children's rights to local histories

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Extent of backlash over cuts to ministry history teams revealed Teachers and historians warned the Ministry for Culture and Heritage that axing roles behind Te Ara and the NZ History website would undermine access to trusted information.

"yet another example of the hostility to history, humanities and social sciences that the current coalition Government has repeatedly demonstrated"

www.thepost.co.nz/culture/3608...

School curriculum 'will perpetuate racism and ongoing inequity in our schools' The new school curriculum makes Māori people, knowledge and culture invisible and prioritises European knowledge, say Māori education leaders.

"The curriculum is dishonest and it's regressive because it's not an honest reflection of our past"

www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

If any teachers would like to share their thoughts on the draft social sciences curriculum through my newsletter send me a DM.

'You cannot know who you are as a society unless you know your history' – Jim Bolger Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger’s death last week sparked a wave of tributes from across the political spectrum, including warm words of remembrance from...

It's always important to know our histories, but now with the rise of populist politics, we really do need school students to understand. In article below @vomalley.bsky.social quotes Jim Bolger 'You cannot know who you are as a society unless you know your history'

buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

It's online now for anyone with the stomach to read it.

newzealandcurriculum.tahurangi.education.govt.nz/new-zealand-...

Community Scoop » New Curriculum Takes Politics Out Of History

Don't see the new Aotearoa NZ histories curriculum online yet. But Act are already crowing about having gutted it.

community.scoop.co.nz/2025/10/new-...

He Whakaputanga — The Declaration of Independence of New Zealand On the 190th anniversary of the signing of He Whakaputanga - the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand, I am sharing an extract from a 2017 publication...

Today marks the 190th anniversary of the signing of He Whakaputanga, along with being Te Pūtake o te Riri/He Rā Maumahara, the national day of commemoration for the NZ Wars.

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* "facing up to our history"

'You cannot know who you are as a society unless you know your history' – Jim Bolger Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger’s death last week sparked a wave of tributes from across the political spectrum, including warm words of remembrance from...

The Education Minister is due to announce a 'refreshed' social studies curriculum on Tuesday with the Aotearoa NZ histories curriculum likely to be significantly watered down.

Jim Bolger's advocacy for facing up to out history will be trampled on if that is the case.
buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

The Otago Daily Times features an extract from ‘The Meeting Place: Māori and Pākehā Encounters, 1642–1840’ by Vincent O’Malley, focusing on early whaling stations and cross-cultural relationships in southern Te Waipounamu.

👉 Read the piece: www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/maga...

I think they squeezed in a few extra chairs in the end but definitely a full house.

'You cannot know who you are as a society unless you know your history' – Jim Bolger Former Prime Minister Jim Bolger’s death last week sparked a wave of tributes from across the political spectrum, including warm words of remembrance from...

"It shouldn’t be underestimated just how significant it was that the leader of a right-wing political party, historically not exactly renowned for its embrace of Māori interests and causes, initiated the modern process of Treaty settlements."

buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

Shame on this government for the deeply racist Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Amendment Act, just passed into law.

📣 Join Dr Vincent O’Malley at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato this Saturday for 'The Invasion of Waikato / Te Riri ki Tainui' – a free public talk marking He Rā Maumahara, our National Day of Remembrance for the New Zealand Wars.

Book here: zurl.co/iOfW8

“A new modus operandi for Māori and Pākehā relations in the 21st century may draw at least in part on some of the lessons learned from the encounters that took place before 1840.” — Vincent O’Malley, from his new book The Meeting Place.

I'm giving a free public talk in Kirikiriroa Hamilton next week to mark Te Pūtake o te Riri – He Rā Maumahara, the national day of commemoration for the New Zealand Wars, along with some book signings at Poppies Hamilton.

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'Garrison World: Redcoat Soldiers in New Zealand and across the British Empire' by Charlotte Macdonald publishes in November.

Preorder now from your local bookseller or through our website:

www.bwb.co.nz/books/garrison...

📷 Neil Pardington

Atholl Anderson's chapters in Tangata Whenua would probably be the best place to start. He is of the view that there was no return voyaging to the Pacific islands, despite oral traditions of returning to fetch kūmara, etc.

There's evidence of Māori settlement of Norfolk Island but not, as far as I know, mainland Australia (though some adzes of East Polynesian origin have been excavated in NSW). The first known Māori travelled to Sydney in 1793, five years after the penal colony was established.

A good crowd at Royal Society Te Apārangi celebrated the new edition of 'The Meeting Place' by Vincent O’Malley last night!

Hon. Sir Joe Williams gave a brilliant launch speech, with kōrero from Kahu Hotere and Vincent. BWB Talks video coming soon. In stores now!

www.bwb.co.nz/books/the-meet...

'Mean-spirited': Māori lawyer joins calls to stop marine and coastal rights law changes Veteran Māori lawyer Annette Sykes says the government has to stop a law making it harder to get customary marine title.

This is truly shameful legislation. The government is once again showing contempt for the rule of law.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Growing up without Aotearoa’s history on the syllabus, alumnus Dr Vincent O’Malley FRSNZ set out to uncover the stories that shape our nation.In this convers... The Storyteller—Vincent O’Malley | 2025 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Vincent O’Malley has received a 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

🎥 Highlights incl. kōrero with Carol Hirschfeld: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub18...

📚 His new book The Meeting Place is out now — join us tonight at The Royal Society, Wellington!

Given he got in on the seventh iteration of votes, it is a good example of why it can be important to rank every candidate in an STV election rather than just those you like.

🔉 Event reminder!

Join us at Royal Society Te Apārangi to hear historian Vincent O’Malley discuss the new edition of 'The Meeting Place'.

Speakers: Hon. Sir Joe Williams & Kahu Hotere

🗓 Tue 14 Oct | 🕠 5.30pm (start 6)
📍 11 Turnbull St, Wgtn
🎟 Free – all welcome

zurl.co/FKoIM