Ngā wai e rua: Stories of Us
A partnership between Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision and the Ministry of Education was formed to create this film compilation, Ngā wai e rua: Stories of Us.
Ngā wai e rua: Stories of Us is an opportunity to share some of our country’s unique stories through the audiovisual treasures cared for by Ngā Taonga dating right back to 1900.
Film footage follows the themes of Tuia Mātauranga: early settlement, first encounters, New Zealand histories, and relationships between people, and people and the land. These range from important national events to everyday happenings, and all add to the story of who we are as a nation, and where we’ve come from.
Please note that the footage and commentary within the film reflects the time in which it was taken. It is recommended that you view the film with this in mind, and use the reflection questions and activities below.
On the host site, Ngā Taonga has notes on each excerpt used in the full compilation for further information and to help you understand the material in its historical context.
References for film content used - here
The footage captures specific moments in our history and illustrates how our society and social norms have changed over time. The material is presented in a chronological order, from some of the first recorded footage in Aotearoa New Zealand, to material that has been published in more recent times.
We wanted the items selected to evoke a strong sense of the shared stories and rich dual histories of Aotearoa, and we hope Ngā wai e rua: Stories of Us does that for you.
Please note that the material included in Ngā wai e rua: Stories of Us is presented as rights and permissions allow, using material available for the purpose of creating this histories compilation. For this reason, poignant points in history may be absent from this compilation.
Discussion points and activities
We expect Ngā wai e rua: Stories of Us will get you thinking about how our histories have been recorded. Some discussion points and suggested activities have been included, to add to your own as you explore.
