The Taonga Files

The Taonga Files Productions

The Taonga Files is a podcast about provenance research — the detective work of uncovering the histories of taonga Māori held in museum collections. Each episode explores how research reveals not only what sits on museum shelves, but how those taonga arrived there, and the stories they carry. This show demonstrates that provenance research is far from dry or technical. It is exciting, meaningful, and deeply human. By tracing the journeys of taonga, we reconnect communities in the present with the voices of the past. Unlike other museum-focused podcasts, The Taonga Files centres on reconnection. It highlights how uncovering provenance restores whakapapa, returns mana to taonga, and strengthens the bonds between museums and the communities whose heritage they hold.

  1. #6 - The Williams Māori Dictionary

    9 MAY

    #6 - The Williams Māori Dictionary

    A simple search for a kupu leads Migoto to a 1915 Williams Māori dictionary with a surprising whakapapa of its own. In this episode, She traces the legacy of the Williams whānau, generations of Māori language scholars, and uncover how this particular copy once sat on Elsdon Best’s desk - complete with his clippings, markers, and quiet traces of use. A reminder that even the most unassuming taonga can hold deep stories. Links: Te Aka Māori Dictionary William Williams Dictionary 1844 Williams Family Papers Elsdon Best Ratana Faith "Please don't bit the books" blog Glossary Māngere - lazy Ngā Manu Korero - yearly secondary schools speech competition Koroua - grandfather Whānau - family Kōrero - discussion; speech Hononga - connection Matua, tama, wairua tapu - Father, son, holy spirit Anahera pono - Faithful angels Hīmene - hymn Tohu - sign Rangatahi - youth, young people Tangi/Tangihanga - funeral

    33 min
  2. Brief 6 - Building your Provenance Research Toolkit

    2 MAY ·  BONUS

    Brief 6 - Building your Provenance Research Toolkit

    Provenance research isn’t just about tracing an object’s past - it’s about restoring identity, dignity, and connection. In this episode, Amber breaks down what truly belongs in a provenance research toolkit, from core methods and detective‑coded analytical tools to digital resources, community engagement, and the ethical foundations that guide every decision. Drawing on kaupapa‑led practice and real‑world experience, this episode gives researchers a clear, grounded framework for building their own toolkit - one that’s intentional, relational, and ready for the complex realities of museum, archive, and repatriation work. A must‑listen for early‑career and seasoned researchers alike who want to strengthen their methodology, sharpen their process, and carry out this work with integrity and care.

    16 min
  3. #5 - The A & P Show Archives

    25 APR

    #5 - The A & P Show Archives

    Step into the archives with us as a seemingly ordinary A&P Show catalogue cracks open a hidden world of taonga Māori competitions — carvings, korowai, piupiu, mats, kits, weapons, all filed under the enigmatic category “Native Industries.” Amber and Migoto follow the clues through 30 years of entries, familiar names, unexpected judges, and the mystery of the elusive piupiu tatangi. No photos. No surviving descriptions. Just the paper trail — and the stories waiting beneath it. If you love archival detective work, whakapapa threads, and taonga that refuse to stay quiet, this episode is for you. Links The Knowledge Bank Hand Woven Raffia Shoes Glossary Hue - Gourd used as a vessel. Kairaranga - Weavers; practitioners of raranga. Kaupapa - Purpose, guiding principle, topic. Kiekie - Freycinetia banksii - a thick native vine which has long leaves with fine teeth crowded at the end of branches. Korowai - Cloak with decorative tassels (hukahuka). Kumete - Wooden bowl or vessel. Mahi - Work, practice, effort. Mātauranga - Knowledge; Māori knowledge systems. Piupiu - Flax skirt worn in kapa haka and ceremonial contexts. Pounamu - Greenstone; highly valued stone. Raranga - Weaving. Taiaha - Long-handled weapon used in martial arts and ceremony. Tokotoko - Carved walking stick used in oratory. Toki - Adze; tool or weapon. Whakairo - Carving; carved objects or the practice of carving. Whakapapa - Genealogy, lineage, relational identity. Whānau - Family, extended family, community.

    28 min
  4. Brief 5 - Why Archives Matter

    18 APR ·  BONUS

    Brief 5 - Why Archives Matter

    In this episode, the ladies open a map for new researchers, early‑career curators, and anyone beginning their journey into cultural heritage. Archives and national libraries hold the raw materials of history, manuscripts, photographs, government records, sound recordings, newspapers, “the evidence, the voices, the paper trails, the contradictions, the context.” Links National Library of New Zealand Archives New Zealand Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision Glossary Taonga Puoro - musical instrument Rōpū - group, party of people, company

    11 min
  5. #4 - Te Wānanga Ledger

    11 APR

    #4 - Te Wānanga Ledger

    This is not your typical taonga Māori. Its also not just an old ledger but if you take a closer look it can reveal more. We’ll take you into the room with this taonga what it was like and what you might find. Not dissimilar to an address book from 1878 we’ll share with you its purpose, importance and its taonga-like characteristics. We talk about the Te Wananga newspaper and its subscribers who were recorded in this ledger. Te reo Māori is central to the mode of communication at the time in sharing critical news uniting iwi Māori over land matters but most of all, a defence to overturn fraudulent sales of Māori land. A snapshot in time, a window to the lives of our tipuna, a source of empowerment and identity. Listen in on this episode to find out more about the Te Wananga ledger. Links Book: Lives of Colonial Objects 2015 Definition from of taonga from He Pātaka Kupu dictionary Te Wānanga Ledger at MTG Repudiation Movement Kotahitanga Movement Glossary Tipuna Māori - Māori ancestors Motu - country, island Reo - language Tairāwhiti rohe - East Coast region Iwi, hapū - tribe, subtribe Mana - control, power, authority Rangatira - chief, leader Uri whakatipu - descendants Whenua ūkaipō - land of origin, home land Whenua - land, placenta Mana whenua - authority over land Kōrero - discussion Mere - hand held short club weapon often greenstone Taiaha - long wooden weapon Kākahu - cloak, clothing

    23 min
  6. Brief 4 - Museum Records

    4 APR ·  BONUS

    Brief 4 - Museum Records

    Museum records can feel like a locked world — full of jargon, hidden systems, and unanswered questions. In this episode of The Taonga Files, Amber and Migoto break down what museum records actually are, what they can reveal, and how early‑career and community researchers can access them with confidence. A practical, empowering guide to navigating the archives with clarity, kaupapa, and a touch of detective energy. Links Wellcome Collection Archives Maraenui Banners, Hikoi mo te Tiriti Blog Glossary Kaumātua - elderly man or woman Kaupapa - topic, subject, theme, agenda Kōrero - talk, discussion Kuia - female elder, grandmother Hōhā - nuisance, bother, bore, hassle, pain in the neck. Tupuna/Tūpuna - ancestor/ancestors

    37 min
  7. # 3 - The Heist

    28 MAR

    # 3 - The Heist

    Just weeks after the Colonial Museum opened in 1865, someone slipped through the darkness and cut their way inside. A “short elderly man” and “experienced burglar”, vanished into the night with gold, precious stones, and a cache of taonga Māori. In this episode, we retrace the break‑in, the hunt for culprit, and the strange trail of clues that led to the recovery of some taonga… while others disappeared into the city’s shadows. More than 160 years later, researchers are still following the threads, asking what was taken, what survived, and what stories these taonga continue to whisper. Links Find the blog here Reward Poster Glossary Tanga Māori - Māori cultural treasures Hoa - friend Tātou - we, us, you (two or more) Hei Tiki - greenstone neck pendant depicting human image. Pounamu - greenstone, nephrite, jade. Toki Poutangata - greenstone adze - used as a weapon by a chief and is a symbol of chieftainship. Toki - adze Ka kite ano - see you again/next time

    20 min
  8. Brief 3 - Papers Past

    21 MAR ·  BONUS

    Brief 3 - Papers Past

    In this brief we explore the valuable resource of Papers Past, and why this is a must for our research kete. Papers Past Niupepa Māori Trove Library of Congress British Newspaper Archive Glossary Aotearoa: New Zealand Niupepa Māori: Māori Newspapers Te reo Māori: The Māori language Tupuna: Ancestor Waiata: Song Koroua/Koro; Elderly man, grandfather Whakapapa: Genealogy Whanaunga: Relative

    14 min
See All (14)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

The Taonga Files is a podcast about provenance research — the detective work of uncovering the histories of taonga Māori held in museum collections. Each episode explores how research reveals not only what sits on museum shelves, but how those taonga arrived there, and the stories they carry. This show demonstrates that provenance research is far from dry or technical. It is exciting, meaningful, and deeply human. By tracing the journeys of taonga, we reconnect communities in the present with the voices of the past. Unlike other museum-focused podcasts, The Taonga Files centres on reconnection. It highlights how uncovering provenance restores whakapapa, returns mana to taonga, and strengthens the bonds between museums and the communities whose heritage they hold.

Information

  • Creator
    The Taonga Files Productions
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Amber Aranui 2025
  • Show Website
    The Taonga Files

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