Media Releases

New visual podcast Treaty Talks a resource for learning

Released at 9:59 am on 4 February 2025

Photo: Supplied

Treaty Talks, hosted by Kara Rickard (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Koata, Tainui), is an eight-part visual podcast series that seeks to educate Māori and non-Māori audiences alike about the Treaty of Waitangi and its historical and contemporary significance.

In the first episode, Māori experts - lawyers, academics, and treaty educators - break down what a treaty is, why it was needed, and the key differences between Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the English version, the Treaty of Waitangi.

The series delves into different aspects of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and topics surrounding it. From the arrival of Captain Cook and the establishment of the New Zealand Company to Treaty Settlements and constitutional transformation, this series covers it all including He Whakaputanga, the Declaration of Independence signed by 34 chiefs in 1835.

It features passionate voices from te ao Māori who are working to restore the partnership and protection of Māori self-determination that they affirm was intended in signing Te Tiriti, and Rickard’s responses as she learns from the experts. The series is a must-watch for anyone seeking to understand Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

RNZ Māori Commissioner Jana Te Nahu Owen says Treaty Talks utilises the knowledge and perspectives of people who have dedicated their lives to studying and understanding the Treaty and Te Tiriti and sharing their knowledge.

“At its heart, Treaty Talks is an educational resource for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of our founding documents, the context and complexities around them, and what that means for Aotearoa today."

Treaty Talks is available now at rnz.co.nz/treaty-talks or on YouTube. This series was produced by Haututū Creatives with support from Te Māngai Pāho.

Treaty Talks was filmed in September at Te Papa Tongarewa inside Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Ngā tohu kotahitanga exhibition, prior to the introduction of the Treaty Principles Bill and the nationwide hīkoi in November.