History
The 'action hero' story behind the 'real' Santa Claus
"This story in particular, it really kind of humanised him for me and made him a far more interesting character than I think he's normally portrayed," says University of Winchester's Brian Thornton. Audio
Santa Claus the action hero
The modern-day Santa Claus can be traced back to a Byzantine bishop named St. Nicholas who had numerous stories and miracles attributed to him. Audio
Move over Santa: Have you heard about the Christmas crow?
"We don't have Santa here, he hasn't visited for about 50 years": Why the Wangkarnal crow brings presents every Christmas in one remote part of Australia.
Silver amulet discovered in Germany could rewrite Christian history in Europe
A small silver amulet discovered by archaeologists in Germany could transform our understanding of how Christianity spread under the Roman Empire.
PM skipping Waitangi 'good first step' - hīkoi organiser
"There's no point in speaking to ears that will not listen to, minds that will not change," Eru Kapa-Kingi says.
History with Dr Grant Morris
Dr Grant Morris from Victoria University has been our guide through history this year. And for his final segment for 2024 he's asking a big question: where do we come from? Audio
Boxing Day marks 20 years since Indian Ocean tsunami
This Boxing Day will mark twenty years since a massive 9.0 earthquake in the Indian Ocean caused a tsunami which killed more than 220,000 people in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Heather… Audio
Eat like an ancient Greek
When you think of Greek food, what comes to mind? A tomato-heavy salad or souvlaki? Not all of those things were staples of the ancient Greek diet. Audio
McDonald's 'Make it Click' song gets remixed
An old classic road safety tune has been revamped with an upbeat twist for the summer festival season. Luke Rive from McDonald's spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss. Audio
About William Dalrymple's History
Historian, author and podcaster William Dalrymple believes it was India's Golden Road - not China's Silk Road - that transformed the world. He tells Kim Hill about is latest book and his own family… Audio
A 25-year legacy: How The Blair Witch Project changed the horror genre
After 25 years, the iconic 'found footage' film is being re-released in the form its producers originally intended. Audio
Bathhouse, day spa planned for Wellington landmark
A restaurant and bar will also be included in the redeveloped Band Rotunda in Oriental Bay.
NZ Sporting History: Daniel Vettori
In a career that spanned 18 years, Daniel Vettori established himself as one of the finest left-arm spinners in cricket history. Audio
Myth Takes: Festivals
Classics enthusiast and educator Ben Jackson joins Emile Donovan to get in the festive spirit with a look back at some of ancient Greece and Rome's unique festivals. Audio
Feature interview: the art of the sandwich
If you want to learn about history, culture and economics, just look at what people put between two slices of bread. Just about every cuisine around the world has a sandwich recipe going back hundreds… Audio
Music feature: the songs that influenced The Beatles
Today we're delving into songs covered by the fab four. Our guide: Geoff Barker, music historian, producer and musician. Audio
The multi-talented Cadence Chung: Retracing the Footsteps of Early Chinese Immigrants
If there’s an aspect of the arts Cadence Chung isn’t involved in, you sense it won’t be long before she tackles it. Encounter is a narrative-led audio walk in Pōneke that follows the stories of early… Audio
Contrasting visions of national identity face off over Treaty principles
Analysis - And the implications for social cohesion and the quality of democratic debate are serious, Olli Hellmann writes.
History with Dr Grant Morris
Grant discusses the history of Pitt Island/Rangihaute in the Chatham Islands, possibly the most isolated settlement in New Zealand. Audio
The real price of a Goldie
A portrait Ngati Manawa tohunga (or priest) Wharekauri Tahuna by Charles Fredrick Goldie has sold at auction for just over $3.75 million dollars. Audio
