PODCAST · history
The Taonga Files
by 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.
Episodes
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#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...
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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...
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#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...
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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…
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#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...
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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...
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# 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...
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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…
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#2 - The Forgotten Taonga
A single line in an 1865 museum ledger. A registration number from the wrong century. A photograph altered to hide everything but a single carving. This episode dives into the forensic world of provenance research as Amber traces the journey of a tauihu that disappeared inside the museum’s...
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Brief 2 - Hauora and Wellbeing
In this ‘brief’, Migoto Eria and Amber Aranui lay the foundations for exploring how taonga shape, and are shaped by, hauora (wellbeing). Grounded in Te Whare Tapa Whā, they reveal taonga not as static museum objects but as living presences that speak, travel, and maintain unbroken lines of...
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#1 - Colonisation and the birth of a museum
The Taonga Files opens with a journey into Aotearoa’s colonial past, tracing the origins of the country’s first national museum and the taonga Māori caught within its early collecting practices. Join curators Amber Aranui and Migoto Eria as they uncover how taonga were catalogued, misplaced, and...
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Brief 1: What is a Taonga?
In this Brief, we dig into the meaning of ‘taonga’ from our perspective — what the term holds, how it’s been used, what it means to us, and why it matters for the mahi we do. We also touch on its appearance in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, where Māori were promised tino rangatiratanga over ‘o ratou…
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#0 - Welcome to The Taonga Files
Welcome to The Taonga Files In our very first episode, we open the doors to The Taonga Files and introduce the kaupapa behind the podcast. Join Amber Aranui, Migoto Eria‑Rowell, and Monica Tromp — three wāhine with decades of experience across archaeology, curation, science, repatriation, museum...
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Introducing 'The Taonga Files' Podcast
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.…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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.
HOSTED BY
The Taonga Files Productions
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Taonga Files have?
The Taonga Files currently has 14 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Taonga Files 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...
How often does The Taonga Files release new episodes?
The Taonga Files has 14 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Taonga Files?
You can listen to The Taonga Files on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Taonga Files?
The Taonga Files is created and hosted by The Taonga Files Productions.
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