History of Aotearoa New Zealand - podcast cover

History of Aotearoa New Zealand

Thomas Rillstonehistoryaotearoa.com
In this “unashamedly homegrown” podcast we tell the story of our islands from the time before people arrived all the way up to the year 2000. Winner of the bronze award for Best Indie Podcast in the NZ Podcast Awards 2021, Silver for Best Educational and Best Indie in 2022 and Silver for Best History in 2023 and 2024.

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Episodes

I'm not Dead!

Just popping in to explain why I've disappeared and to let you know that I am still working on things in the background! Apologies if there are a few plosives and other audio issues, I'm a little out of practice and I have a new microphone! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 11, 20264 min

185 - The End of the Beginning

We round off Cook’s first expedition with what they got up to upon their return, how Cook’s reports were received and how this set the stage for his next voyage. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 31, 202649 minEp. 185

184 - Petri Dish

We see how Cook and company get on in the capital of the Dutch East Indies before we follow their journey back home. Many of them will not survive the journey. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 24, 202627 minEp. 184

183 - One Last Push

The Endeavour limps her way to a spot where she can be temporarily repaired after her disastrious crash in the Great Barrier Reef. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 17, 202628 minEp. 183

182 - The Great Barrier

Cook and his crew will continue up the eastern coast of Australia and end up in probably the most dangerous situation they have been in thus far. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 10, 202629 minEp. 182

181 - Border Patrol

We left the Endeavour last time as she sailed away from Aotearoa on the last day of March 1770 so today we will see how hre crew got on crossing the ditch towards Australia. Guardian Article about spears being returned to Gweagal people of Kamay Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 03, 202626 minEp. 181

Spring 2025 Update

Just a quick update on the release schedule over the next few months as well as what you can expect to be coming up in the Patreon feed! Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 29, 20254 min

180 - Here Be Dragons No More

Cook and his crew continue to gather supplies, clean the ship and talk some more with Māori in Tōtaranui before he finally does what both Tasman and de Surville failed to do. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 22, 202542 minEp. 180

179 - Tōtaranui

As Cook and company begin to make their way down the west coast of the North Island they look for a place to stop and careen the ship. What they find is a place that Cook will return to again and again. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 15, 202529 minEp. 179

178 - No Retreat (Cause We Done Goofed)

The Endeavour continues exploring the eastern coast of Te Ika a Māui and Cook ends up in a spot of bother... Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 08, 202524 minEp. 178

177 - The Transit of Mercury

Cook continues to explore Te Ika a Māui, attempting to trade with Māori, getting into arguments with this crew and probably going blind by looking at the sun too much. You know, the usual. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 01, 202541 minEp. 177

176 - Kidnappers

Everyone is trying to steal everyone else in events now immortilised in the naming of the landscape. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 25, 202537 minEp. 176

175 - Knock Knock, It's Europe 3. Remember Us?

We left off when Cook opened his sealed orders which instructed him to head south in search of the Great Southern Land, Terra Australis, at the direct contradiction of Tupaia, who wanted to go west. Today the Endeavour heads south in search of the holy grail of European explorers in the Pacific. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! You find the Gisborne Port Authority report mentioned in the episode here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Oct 18, 202541 minEp. 175

174 - Breaking the Seal

James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour no longer have a reason to remain in the Society Islands. As such, they need to decide where their voyage will take them next. To do this, Cook pulls out his secret, sealed orders from the Admiralty and cracks them open. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Oct 11, 202526 minEp. 174

173 - Island Holiday

Cook starts to explore more of the Society Islands, with Tupaia’s direction and knowledge proving invaluable. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 04, 202527 minEp. 173

172 - Greener Pastures

Now that the Endeavour no longer has any need to remain in Tahiti, a bunch of people start making decisions about their future, some less well thought out than others. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 27, 202530 minEp. 172

171 - The Transit of Venus

Cook finally does the thing he came halfway around the world to do: Observe the Transit of Venus. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 20, 202543 minEp. 171

My Birb of the Year 2025

It's that time of year again! BOTY is back! As is tradition, I've picked a bird to tell you all about and hopefully pick up your vote. This year we are discussing the ngutu pare, the wrybill! birdoftheyear.org.nz Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Sep 13, 202531 min

170 - Will They, Won't They

We return to May 1769 where the quadrant, a vital piece of equipment for observing the Transit of Venus, was stolen and then recovered. In the course of this, Tutaha had been arrested against Cook’s orders, being handled rather roughly and in such a way to cause great insult. Today we see how this affected the pair's relationship. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Sep 06, 202532 minEp. 170

169 - Twice as Nice

Tupaia is trying to navigate his way through the ever changing and deadly world of Tahitan politics as the two major leaders of the island clash. Can he come out the other side unscathed? Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 30, 202528 minEp. 169

168 - Game of Thrones

Tupaia has escaped to Tahiti and soon realises that if he wants to survive he needs to make himself useful. The island is going through a rather chaotic time politically and Tupaia is known to be a smooth operator, in more ways than one, so he hitches his wagon to Purea. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Aug 23, 202526 minEp. 168

167 - Tupaia

James Cook has now met Tupaia, high priest of Tahiti and advisor to the chief Purea. He is going to become very important to our story so it is worth going back a few years in the timeline to talk about his early life as well as the culture and history of the Society Islands through his eyes. This will set us up nicely for the next episode where we will explain the backstory of the conflict that the Europeans had found themselves in the middle of! Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Pa...

Aug 16, 202535 minEp. 167

166 - The Quadrant Catastrophe

Final preparations are underway for the Transit of Venus as the equipment is calibrated only to find shock a vital instrument is missing! Where did it go?! We also meet the other power player that Tutaha is competing against for control of the island of Tahiti; the supposed queen herself, Purea. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Aug 09, 202532 minEp. 166

165 - Culture Clash

Now that they had made contact, Cook quickly sets to work establishing friendly relations with the Tahitians while also trying to assess who the movers and shakers are in their society. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 02, 202530 minEp. 165

164 - Tahiti

The Endeavour crosses the Pacific and arrives at her destination, Tahiti. However, pretty quickly Cook is concerned that his crew will run amok so he puts procedures in place to ensure everything goes smoothly between them and the local Polynesians. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jul 26, 202529 minEp. 164

163 - Crossing the Line

Cook's expedition finally gets underway as they sail across the Atlantic bound for the South Pacific. But not before they get into a spot of bother in Rio along the way... Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 19, 202532 minEp. 163

162 - The Nerds

Just as he was about to head off, James Cook was told that he had to take on a new group of people on his expedition, which caused a number of issues. However, the Royal Society were adament they come along. The leader of these late arrivals was none other than famed botanist Joesph Banks, who will become a key player in our story. Today, we talk about who he was and why he wanted to sail to the South Pacific. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...

Jul 12, 202540 minEp. 162

161 - Welcome to the Crew

Now that we have looked at the HMB Endeavour , it's worth introducing the colourful cast of characters that will be sailing her. From lofty lieutenants all the way down to salty seamen! Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 05, 202530 minEp. 161

160 - Endeavour

We look more closely at the ship that will be taking Cook and his crew into the Pacific for his first voyage, such as how she was acquired by the Royal Navy, her overall physical characteristics and how she was modified to be fit for this expedition. Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jun 28, 202530 minEp. 160

159 - Scientific Struggles

What was Cook's first voyage actually hoping to achieve? What was the background of the collaboration between the Royal Society and the Admiralty? The answers to these questions and more in this episode! Check out the website and shownotes! Become a Patron! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 21, 202529 minEp. 159
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