Fakatalofa atu – welcome to Vaiaso o te ‘Gana Tuvalu -Tuvalu Language Week, which includes Tuvalu Independence Day on 1 October. This year’s theme is fakatumau kae fakaakoi tau ‘gana ke mautu a iloga o ‘ta tuā – preserve and embrace your language to safeguard our heritage identities. Read more…
Drawing lessons from Rewi Thompson
The work of Rewi Thompson (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa) and his legacy as a teacher and indigenous architect of international renown is explored in the new book ‘Rewi: Āta haere, kia tere’. Read more…
Mental Health Awareness Week
In 2023, Mental Health Awareness Week will take place from 18-24 September. This year’s theme is Five Ways, Five Days, with the Mental Health Foundation providing a set of proven tools to boost our mental health when we need it.Read more…
Te Wiki o te reo Māori 2023
He mihi tēnei ki a koutou katoa i runga i Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Haere mai ki Te Tumu Herenga ki te whakanui i tō tātou reo rangatira. Nō reira, kia kaha te reo Māori.Read more…
Finding a world of Māori and Pacific sound
The Archive of Māori and Pacific Sound (AMPS) has been around for a long time, gathering and caring for recordings from all around Aotearoa and throughout the span of the Pacific, and providing access to those recordings to communities and researchers. Read more…
Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani – Cook Islands Language Week
‘Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki ‘Āirani – Cook Islands Language week kicks off from Sunday 30 July to Saturday 5 August 2023. In the latest 2018 Census, 80,532 people of Cook Islands descent live in Aotearoa and 46,668 people of Cook Islands live in Tamaki Makaurau.Read more…
Collection connections: In the Lee of a Looted Island
The University of Auckland art collection is a significant part of Cultural Collections, and we are extremely excited to have a painting from the collection recently installed in the Special Collections Reading Room, Ground Floor, General Library.
The painting, ‘In the Lee of a Looted Island’ (1966), is by Don Binney and has recently been returned from having some routine conservation. Read more…
Matariki, more than a star: Remember, reflect, and reset
Matariki, Māori New Year, signals a time to reflect on what we have learned, contributed, and are grateful for.Read more…
University of Auckland 140 years: In the classroom
To mark the 140th anniversary of the opening of Auckland University College (AUC), Special Collections goes back into the classroom to look at university teaching before PowerPoint, Zoom and Canvas.Read more…
International Archives Week: Archives United
This week is International Archives Week, marking the foundation of the International Council of Archives (ICA), under the auspices of UNESC0, on 9 June 1948. This year the event also celebrates 75 years of the ICA’s work to promote the importance of records and archives and the work of those who care for them.Read more…
Malo lava le soifua, Susu mai, Afio mai, Maliu Mai. Manuia le vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa.
Welcome to Samoa Language Week 2023. The theme for this year is: ‘Mitamita I lau gagana, maua’a lou fa’asinomaga,’ meaning ‘Be proud of your language and be grounded in your identity.’Read more…
University of Auckland 140 years: First four professors
To mark the 140th anniversary of the opening of Auckland University College (AUC), Special Collections has taken a closer look at the appointment and careers of the first four professors.Read more…
2023 Auckland flood response
Our TV and Radio 2023 Auckland Flood Response playlist highlights the performances of local and central government during and immediately following the floods.Read more…
University of Auckland 140th Anniversary: Orientation
To coincide with Orientation Week, Special Collections has put together a display celebrating this important and fun part of the university year.Read more…
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the agreement between the Crown and Māori that was signed on 6 February 1840 by 40 rangatira and Captain Hobson at Waitangi.Read more…
Remember and reflect: The Declaration of Independence and the National Day of Commemoration for the New Zealand Wars
28 October 2022 marks the anniversary of the signing of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirene: the Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand in 1835. Te Pūtake o te Riri, He Rā Maumahara, or the National Day of Commemoration for the New Zealand Wars, is commemorated on the same date. Read more…
Te Vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau – Tokelau Language Week 2022
Tâlofa nî! Mâlô nî! Welcome to Te vaiaho o te Gagana Tokelau, Tokelau Language Week Sunday 23 October to Saturday 29 October 2022. This year’s theme is “Halahala ki vavau, kae ke mau ki pale o Tokelau” which means “To plan for the future is to understand the past.”Read more…
Niue Language Week 2022
Fakaalofa lahi atu! It’s Niue Language Week, Faahi Tapu he Vagahau Niue Sunday 16 October – Saturday 22 October 2022. This year’s theme is Fakatūleva e Vagahau Niue mo e Tau Aga Fakamotu ma e Tau Atuhau, which means “SustainRead more…
Bruce Biggs and the revitalisation of te reo Māori
The Māori language petition for active recognition of te reo Māori was delivered to Parliament in 1972. It had over 30,000 signatures and became the starting point for a significant revitalisation of te reo Māori.
At the time, te reo Māori revitalisation was still in its infancy at the University of Auckland, after receiving a boost during the 1950s, with Bruce Biggs — ethnographer, linguist, and champion of te reo Māori — at the helm. Read more…
Upcoming TV and Radio changes
Te Tumu Herenga’s TV and Radio service is undergoing a few changes as we seek to make wise use of our resources and better align our service with Waipapa Taumata Rau’s IT strategy. Read more…
Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa – Samoa Language Week 2022
Tālofa! Susū mai! Afio mai! Maliu mai! Welcome to Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa – Samoan Language Week, Sunday 29 May-Saturday 4 June 2022, including Samoa’s 60th year of Independence on Wednesday 1 June 2022. Read more…
Rotuman Language Week 2022
Rotuman (Fäeag Rotųam) Language Week 2022 will take place from Sunday 8 May to Saturday 14 May. Sustainability is the overarching theme for the 2022 Pacific Language Weeks.Read more…
The Point of (No) Return: marking 45 years since the occupation of Bastion Point
45 years ago, the Ōrākei Māori Action Committee, led by Joe Hawke, began the occupation of Takaparawhā | Bastion Point reserve to protest the Government’s plan to subdivide the land for private housing developmentRead more…
Electoral remix: adoption of MMP in New Zealand
Tuesday 12 October 2021 marks the 25th anniversary of New Zealand’s first Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) general election.Read more…
ClockTower design: celebrating 100 years
2021 marks 100 years since Roy Lippincott and Edward Billson won the competition to design the University’s first significant purpose-built building, now known as the ClockTower.Read more…
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2021
Celebrate Māori Language Week with the Archive of Māori and Pacific Sound’s 50th Anniversary Podcast, our TV and Radio playlist, and resources for learning te reo Māori.Read more…
Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga – Tonga Language Week 2021
To mark Tonga Language Week 2021, the Archive of Māori and Pacific Sound presents the first two episodes of the AMPS 50th Anniversary Podcast, a series of talanoa (conversations) with five significant academics from the University of Auckland. Read more…
Kiribati Language Week 2021
The 32 atolls and coral islands that form the Republic of Kiribati are most often associated with the immediate impacts of global climate change and rising sea levels. However, Kiribati also has a unique oral tradition, art and culture.Read more…
New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre: 20 years online
The New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre went live 20 years ago on 20 July 2001, making it one of the country’s longest-running poetry hubs.Read more…
‘Twins’ successfully installed in new sculpture court
Chiara Corbelletto’s ‘Twins’ (2003) have now found a new home at the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FMHS), making way for the new Recreation Centre on the City Campus.Read more…