Articles in ‘History’

When audiences first saw The Wizard of Oz in 1939, they were dazzled by the movie’s use of Technicolor. Dorothy’s ruby slippers sparkled, the yellow brick road gleamed and the Wicked Witch of the West appeared in a shocking shade of green skin. But L. Frank Baum’s original book never described her that way. How does the Wicked Witch appear in the original story? · In Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is…

“A hundred immigrants just landed have been sent here. The Government found them lodgings and give them rations . . . till they can be sent forth to their own grants of land.”1 These were just some of the immigrants who had recently arrived as part of the Waikato Immigration Scheme.2 Between October 1864 and June 1865, thirteen ships arrived in Auckland with settlers from Scotland, Ireland, England and South Africa on board. With promises of…

A 10,000-year-old archaeological site in central Turkey offers a glimpse into daily life at the dawn of the agricultural age, including what ancient people ate—and how they made yogurt. · By analyzing proteins left on pottery shards found at the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük, researchers discovered that Neolithic people were making and eating yogurt—or something like it—at least 8,000 years ago. It wasn’t exactly the thick, tangy yogurt of…

‘[This] has been the busiest, gloomiest and most exciting fortnight I have ever passed. The war has suddenly left Taranaki and broken out here.’1 So wrote Rev Vicesimus Lush, Anglican minister, in his journal on July 19th 1863. Only a month before, he had speculated that the fighting was not expected to ‘extend beyond the Taranaki.’2 With war breaking out within his parish borders, rather than hundreds of miles away, Lush stopped being a casual…

New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will ban the public sale and use of fireworks across New Zealand. The abuse and misuse of fireworks far outweighs any of the benefits. “The taxpayer should not be spending millions of dollars on something that drastically impacts pets, causes inevitable fires, and causes havoc for our emergency services” – Rt Hon Winston Peters. · Enough is enough. · “This is not about being ‘nanny…

After 38 proud years gracing New Zealand’s skies, one of the nation’s most cherished warbirds is preparing to embark on a new chapter. The iconic Douglas DC-3 “Betsy” (ZK-DAK)—a symbol of aviation’s golden age and a living link to our wartime heritage—is set to leave New Zealand for Darwin, Australia, marking the end of an extraordinary era. A Last Hurrah Before the Journey North! · Before she departs, Fly DC-3 NZ and the NZ Warbirds…

CelticNZ https://www.youtube.com/@AncientCelticNewZealand Summary · Russell Price, an amateur archaeologist, conducted extensive archaeological digs at Pukawa in New Zealand over a period of 25 years. He discovered undeniable proof of ancient human occupation spanning 7,000 years, predating the arrival of the Polynesian Maori. Price used tephra stratigraphy, the study of volcanic ash layers, to date the artifacts found beneath the ash bands.…

Three hundred years ago, a cultural revolution exploded out of East London. The narrow lane of Paternoster Row, today lined with trendy cafés and sushi shops, feels like an unlikely spot for the birth of the pirates of the Caribbean. But this was once the heart of the English capital’s publishing industry—and a place of justice for the most dreaded brigands. Paternoster Row stands a few blocks away from the Old Bailey courts and Newgate Prison,…

I’m a hostile spy from, ohhh, let’s say China. No, Israel. Or Russia. Whatever: the most important thing is that I’m a spy. I’m wanting to know where all of New Zealand’s defences are located, who is manning them, when these defences are most vulnerable, and how many soldiers and weapons New Zealand has. I could do a Google search, comb through Wikileaks, or look for an informant, a leak, a modern-day Bill Sutch… · Actually, there’s no need…

In the Northern Hemisphere the traditional ‘May Day’ celebration is an ancient festival whose origins are shrouded in the mists of time. It is said that the earliest May Day observances began in pre-Christian times out of the Roman empire, a dedication to the Roman flower goddess Floralia, or Flora and a celebration of the advent of the arrival of Summer and blossoming flowers. However we know that the Roman’s were great mimics, in fact this…