Black Sheep

Host of Black Sheep William Ray recommends a new RNZ podcast for history fans, NZ Wars Collection - Kohikohinga o nga pakanga o Aotearoa. We’re bringing all our New Zealand Wars stories together in your favourite podcast app, with another chapter on the way. Each chapter zeroes in on one of the many wars, battles, and skirmishes that make up what are collectively known as the New Zealand Wars. Search for NZ Wars Collection in your podcast app to follow the series. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The founding father of West Auckland - Don Buck was notorious in the early 20th century for his hard drinking, hard living gum digging camp in the foothills of the Waitakere ranges. Black Sheep investigates the legend of this enigmatic and feared folk hero - the original Westie. Watch the video of Marianne Simpkins reading her poem The Ballad of Don Buck's Hill Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

“Oh Mummy save me from Dr Gray, because teacher says he’s coming today, and if I’m stupid he’ll take me away”. William Ray looks at the life and legacy of Dr Theodore Gray, a staunch eugenicists who was head of New Zealand's Mental Hospitals Department for 20 years. Further reading: Statement of Hilary Stace to the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care A Brief History of Disability in Aotearoa by Dr Hilary Stace DBNZ Biography of Dr Theodore Gray by Dr Warwick Brunton The Fertility of the Unfit by Dr William Chapple Mental Defectives Amendment Act 1928 Statement of Tony Ryder to the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In part two, we look at the years Elsdon Best spent living in Te Urewera, attempting to preserve knowledge he believed was on the brink of being lost forever, the remarkable relatioship he built with Tūhoe leaders, and how that relationship fell apart. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Described in his own time as "the white Tōhunga of Tuhoeland" and by some today as a "structural rascist" who "stole" knowledge, it's fair to say Elsdon Best is a controvesial character. In the first of a two part episode, Black Sheep traces the early life of this self-taught ethnologist. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

New Zealand's most awarded podcast is RNZ's own Black Sheep, and it's back with its 9th season. Hosted and produced by William Ray - he explores New Zealand history through the lens of real life, shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters. Saturday Morning's own Susie Ferguson has even been typecast as a murderous Scottish villain in it. Susie and William discuss how the seasons come to be, and wonder why William is so obsessed with the sketchy side of life. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In the second of Black Sheep's two-part episode on Elspeth Kerr, detectives unravel the mystery of 9-year old Betty Kerr's poisoning and uncover more potential victims of a beloved nurse, turned serial poisoner. The Trials of Nurse Kerr: The anatomy of a secret poisoner by Scott Bainbridge Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Elspeth Kerr was a beloved local nurse in 1930s Devonport, but when her husband died suddenly and her foster daughter fell into an inexplicable coma, locals discovered the shocking truth: Nurse Kerr was a serial poisoner. But more than 90 years later, elements of her crimes remain a mystery. In the first of a two part episode, Black Sheep investigates the chilling story. The Trials of Nurse Kerr: The anatomy of a secret poisoner by Scott Bainbridge Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Black Sheep returns on Friday 30 January for its 9th season with a new cast of rogues, villains and controversial characters. Murderous nurses, foul-mouthed goldfield barkeepers, sly grogging kāuri gum dealers and more! Join William Ray as he looks at the darker side of New Zealand history. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

We're ducking into your feed to bring you an episode of a new RNZ podcast: Kelly Tartlon's Final Treasure Hunt. This story has everything! Kidnapping, smuggling, scurvy, and imaginary islands full of Jewish gold... Make sure to follow Kelly Tarlton's Final Treasure Hunt wherever you get your podcasts. To see more of Kelly Tarlton's Final Treasure Hunt, visit the RNZ website here. Special thanks to the Tarlton family for their support and trust in making this podcast. For more about Kelly Tarlton we recommend: Watch: Lost and Found: The Story of Cook's Anchor Throw Me the Wreck, Johnny: memories of Kelly Tarlton by Steve Locker-Lampson Kelly: the Adventurous Life of Kelly Tarlton by E. V. Sale Navigators and Naturalists, By Michael Lee The Fateful Voyage of the St Jean Baptiste, By John Dunmore The Expedition of the St Jean Baptiste to the Pacific 1769 - 1770, Translated and edited by John Dunmore Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

On 27 September 1974 New Zealanders woke to the news Dr Bill Sutch, a famous economist, historian, and former senior government official had been arrested and accused of spying for Soviet Russia. He was later found not guilty, but over the last 50 years, suspicion has swirled, and new evidence has been revealed. Check our RNZ's award Winning Podcast The Service for more about the history of the SIS in New Zealand. Check our RNZ's award Winning Podcast The Service for more about the history of the SIS in New Zealand Further reading: Spy by Kit Bennets Shirley Smith: An Examined Life by Sarah Gaitanos Trying to Understand Dr Bill Sutch by Brian Easton Bill Sutch - Dictionary of NZ Biography by Brian Easton Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Early NZ missionary Thomas Kendall arrived in London in 1820 with the Ngāpuhi Rangatira Hongi Hika. He would return to Aotearoa a year later with the first ever written dictionary of Te Reo Māori, a newly won clerical collar ...and more than 300 muskets. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Freddie Angell was New Zealand's most notorious wildlife smuggler. His repeated attempts at stealing and exporting native wildlife in the 1990s, including Kea and Tuatara, made him all but a household name. Black Sheep speaks to documentary-maker Andy MacDonald about his extraordinary story. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Early Missionary Thomas Kendall facilitated the sale of hundreds of muskets to Ngāpuhi Māori, helping to enable the bloodiest wars in New Zealand history. But there's more to Kendall's story. He was instrumental in the transformation of Te Reo Māori into a written language, and became so fascinated by Māori spirituality that he (in his own words) "almost completely turned from a Christian to a Heathen". Thomas Kendall was among the very first missionaries to arrive in Aotearoa. In 1814 the devoted Calvinist and former schoolteacher threw caution to the wind, taking himself, his wife and five children to live alongside Māori at Rangihoua in the Bay of Islands. Kendall had dreams of founding a school, teaching Māori to read and write - and eventually converting them to the Christian faith. It all went wrong almost immediately. The school failed, Kendall fought bitterly with his fellow missionaries, his wife gave birth to another man's child, and he swiftly discovered the only way for the mission to survive in…

In the 1900s a series of lurid headlines were published in the New Zealand Truth about George Howe, a "Beastly Brothel-keeper" who pimped out underage girls from his shop on Wellington's Adelaide Road. But what Truth found most "beastly" about Howe, is that he was Chinese. Black Sheep looks at the case of George Howe, and the "editorial hate-crimes" of what was once NZ's most influential newspaper. Content warning: contains discussion of underage prostitution and quotes racist slurs which featured in the NZ Truth Newspaper i.e. "slimy slit-eyes" and "concupiscent chows" Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In 1892 a masked figure in a bizarre uniform began a 15 month crime spree, robbing people at gunpoint in and around New Plymouth. When he was finally arrested and unmasked, residents were dumbfounded to discovered the perpetrator was mild-mannered Robert Wallath - the teenage son of a local farmer and carpenter. Wallath, it turned out, had a deep fascination for highway criminals and at trial his lawyers claimed his mind had been "polluted" by trashy novels about Dick Turpin and Ned Kelly. But later in life, Wallath claimed his crimes had divine inspiration. So what really drove this Taranaki teenager to commit such a brazen string of robberies and thefts? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

"As morning dawned we stood and watched / That devastated scene / Where but a single yesterday / Had flourished Surafeen." In the final episode of a three-part series, RNZ's Black Sheep investigates the Surafend massacre of December 1918. Read more about the story of Surafend on the RNZ website here. T’was a never to be forgotten night The village was soon in flames The wallads knocked when sighted But protected were the dames. Although we are fighting Anzacs Our honour we uphold And treat the women fairly As did our ancestors of old. As morning dawned we stood and watched That devastated scene Where but a single yesterday Had flourished Surafeen We turned away in silence But feeling justified That for our murdered comrade We would gladly have died. - RSA Review, August 1938 These lines are extracted from a longer poem published in RSA Review, the official magazine for New Zealand War veterans. They were credited to an unnamed New Zealand soldier who participated in the 1918 Surafend massacre. In the final…

"They ​went ​out ​to ​this ​village, ​and ​they ​went ​through ​it ​with ​the ​bayonet.” In the second of a three-part series, RNZ's Black Sheep investigates the Surafend massacre of December 1918. Read more about the story of Surafend on the RNZ website here. “They ​got ​their ​heads ​together, ​the ​New ​Zealand and ​Australians, and they ​went ​out ​to ​this ​village ​and ​they ​went ​through ​it ​with ​the ​bayonet.” - Edward O'Brien, Veteran of the Anzac Mounted Division, 1988 These are the words of Edward O’Brien - a former member of the Anzac Mounted Division. His words were recorded on tape by an oral historian and now sit in the archives of the Australian War Memorial. Edward was one of a handful of Anzac's to admit seeing the Surafend massacre first hand, but his testimony does little to explain what happened. In the second of a three part series, RNZ's Black Sheep podcast unpicks the story of the massacre, and the events which followed it - including the Anzac's little known role in suppressing…

“There was a time when I was proud of you men of the Anzac Mounted Division. I am proud of you no longer.” In the first of a three-part series, RNZ's Black Sheep investigates the Surafend massacre. Read more about the story of Surafend on the RNZ website here. “There was a time when I was proud of you men of the Anzac Mounted Division. I am proud of you no longer. Today, I think you are nothing but a lot of cowards and murderers.” - General Edmund Allenby, reported speech to Anzac Mounted Division, 16 December 1918 These words are attributed to General Edmund Allenby, the British Commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. He was speaking to the Anzac Mounted Division in the aftermath of the Surafend massacre, where an estimated 200 members of the Division killed upwards of 40 male Arab civilians in a small village in southern Palestine in December 1918. More than a hundred years later, much of the story of the massacre remains a mystery. Basic facts around the numbers killed, the identity of the killers,…

Black Sheep Season 8 is just around the corner with a whole new cast of controversial, villainous, or simply misunderstood figures from New Zealand history. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The last of the so-called 'lunatic asylums' closed only 20 years ago. They were founded on ideas of paternalism and social progress and survived on the basis they offered safety. In this special crossover with the Nellie's Baby Podcast, William Ray and Kirsty Johnston look into their origins. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

From the 1840s onward, Frederick Maning would become an increasingly bitter and angry man who demonised Māori who opposed colonisation. So what explains this radical transition from a romantic early Pākehā settler? RNZ's Black Sheep podcast investigates. Frederick Maning was one of the first Europeans to settle in Aotearoa, marrying a high-ranking Ngāpuhi woman, and writing two books filled with colourful anecdotes of his time living alongside Māori. But attitude to his adopted land - and its people - twisted and turned over time, leaving a complicated legacy. Maning was there for key moments in the early years of cross-cultural contact. He witnessed the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Māngungu, and allegedly counselled Māori against signing it; he took up arms in the Northern War (including the infamous Battle of Ōhaeawai); and was one of the first judges on the Native Land Court. But while his books painted a romantic picture of his early life among Māori, Maning's private letters from later in life…

Frederick Maning was one of the first Europeans to settle in Aotearoa, he married a high-ranking Ngāpuhi woman, and wrote two books filled with romantic anecdotes of his time living alongside Māori. So why did so many of his private letters express such violent, racist attitudes towards Māori? RNZ's Black Sheep podcast investigates. Frederick Maning was one of the first Europeans to settle in Aotearoa, marrying a high-ranking Ngāpuhi woman, and writing two books filled with colourful anecdotes of his time living alongside Māori. But attitude to his adopted land - and its people - twisted and turned over time, leaving a complicated legacy. Maning was there for key moments in the early years of cross-cultural contact. He witnessed the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Māngungu, and allegedly counselled Māori against signing it; he took up arms in the Northern War (including the infamous Battle of Ōhaeawai); and was one of the first judges on the Native Land Court. But while his books painted a romantic…

In the 1910s, Hjelmar Dannevill wowed high society with gripping tales of adventure as a medical researcher and journalist. But suspicions over her fantastical stories and insistence on wearing men's clothing saw her locked up as a German spy during WWI. RNZ's Black Sheep podcast investigates the mystery of "Dr Dannevill". Content Warning: This podcast includes discussion of suicide and self-harm In the 1910s, Hjelmar Dannevill wowed Wellington high society with gripping tales of adventure as a medical researcher and journalist. But suspicions over her fantastical stories and insistence on wearing men's clothing saw her locked up as a German spy during WWI. So, how much of Dannevill's story was for real? And why did she insist on dressing the way she did? RNZ's Black Sheep podcast speaks to historian and author Julie Glamuzina about the mystery of "Dr" Hjelmar Dannevill, and what it shows about attitudes to gender in early 20th century New Zealand. For further reading: Spies and Lies: The Mysterious Dr…

In 1935, a series of extraordinary newspaper articles claimed a backyard inventor called Victor Penny was trying to build a Death Ray for the New Zealand government. The claims seem absurd... So why were they taken so seriously? Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Dr Alfred Newman may be the most notorious scientific racist in New Zealand history. His 1882 paper "A study of the causes leading to the extinction of the Māori" was so extreme that it scandalised not just Māori, but also New Zealand's wider scientific community. So what can Newman's story tell us about the history of scientific racism in Aotearoa? Dr Alfred Newman may be the most notorious scientific racist in New Zealand history. His 1882 paper "A study of the causes leading to the extinction of the Maori" used such extreme and callous language that it scandalised not just Māori, but also New Zealand's wider scientific community. Dr Newman's views didn't spring out of nowhere. He was building on a longer history of racial supremacy - bouyed in part by Charles Darwin's theories of "natural selection" and "survival of the fittest", which many 19th Century Pākehā seized as a scientific justification for preexisting ideas of racial superiority. However these ideas of white supremacy have always been contested…

In the second of a two-part episode on Charles Mackay Black Sheep investigates the mysteries surrounding the Whanganui Mayor's attempted murder of D'Arcy Cresswell - a former soldier who threatened to out the Mackay as homosexual if he didn't resign the mayoralty. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

For more than 50 years the name of Mayor Charles Mackay was all but forbidden in Whanganui. In 1920 Mackay shot a man through the chest after he threated to expose the mayor's homosexuality. RNZ's Black Sheep podcast investigates the downfall of Charles Mackay, and how his story is being reevaluated in modern New Zealand. For 50 years the name Charles Mackay was all but forbidden in Whanganui. The former mayor's name was chiselled off public buildings, ripped off street signs and deliberately excluded from official histories. His official portrait was taken down and destroyed. The reason? In 1920 Charles Mackay shot and nearly killed D'Arcy Cresswell, a 24-year-old returned soldier who had been threatening to out Mackay as homosexual. Over the last few decades people have tried to drag Mackay's story back into the spotlight. In the 1980s, LGBTQ+ activists successfully campaigned to have his name re-inscribed on the foundation stone of the Sarjeant Gallery and in 2022 historian and author Paul Diamond…

RNZ multi award-winning podcast Black Sheep returns on May 26th with a new cast of mysterious misfits, violent villains and controversial characters. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

When flamboyant orchestra conductor Eric Mareo was convicted of murder for a second time, the judge raised grave concerns about the verdict with the Attorney General. So, did 1930s prejudice and sensationalist media sentence an innocent man to death? This is the second in a two part episode on the case of Eric Mario. On June 17th, 1936 many New Zealanders celebrated when they heard Eric Mareo had been convicted of murder for a second time. But the judge in that trial wasn't one of them. In an unprecedented move, he wrote to the Attorney General raising grave concerns about the verdict. So was Eric Mareo wrongfully convicted? Black Sheep investigates. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Kiwis rose to their feet and cheered when the flamboyant orchestra conductor Eric Mareo was found guilty of murdering his wife in 1936. But 85 years later, the verdict seems less certain. Was justice done? Or was Mareo an innocent man? RNZ's Black Sheep podcast investigates. On June 17th, 1936 a single word appeared on the screens of movie theatres around Auckland. "Guilty". The audience were in a hush for a moment. Then they rose to their feet and cheered. It was the end of a year-long saga, the case of 45 year-old orchestra conductor Eric Mareo. He was, not once, but twice convicted of murdering his wife, 29 year-old actress and singer, Thelma Mareo. The Mareo trials had gripped New Zealand. People followed the news headline by headline. It had everything you could possibly want in a crime story: Sex, drugs, and lies. Plus, the characters were all so interesting. Mareo was a flamboyant figure who walked up and down Queen Street in a tailcoat with a long cigarette holder. He conducted his orchestra using a…

George Wilder is an accidental folk hero. He never sought the spotlight, but his three escapes from prison in the 1960s and his daring evasion of the authorities made him a national sensation. Black Sheep investigates his story. George Wilder is an accidental folk hero. He never sought the spotlight, but his three escapes from prison in the 1960s made him a national sensation. His first escape made his name and reputation, sparking headlines as he was on the run for 65 days without resorting to violence. But the most famous escape was his second, where he evaded police all over the North Island for more than six months: On foot, by car, by boat, by bicycle and even on horseback. The stories from this escape are wild (and some are purely fictional). They were immortalised in part by The Howard Morrisson Quartet, which released a song about his exploits, The Wild(er) NZ Boy. It became massively popular despite being banned from public radio. His third and final escape was a grimmer affair, involving a sawn-off…

In 1863 half the population of a small Tongan island called 'Ata boarded a ship captained by Thomas McGrath. They were never seen again. Black Sheep investigates the story of a slave raid which destroyed a small civilisation. In the first week of June 1863 half the population of a small Tongan island called 'Ata boarded a ship captained by Thomas McGrath. They were never seen again. Aside from a handful of castaways, 'Ata has been abandoned ever since. In this episode of Black Sheep, William Ray investigates the story of a slave raid which destroyed a small civilisation. Today, many of the survivors of the raid still suffer stigma. They are told their ancestors were weak or stupid for falling for McGrath's lies. Sometimes it's claimed one of the island's leaders sold his own people into slavery; a myth which still haunts his descendants. The true story of 'Ata is much broader. It's a story of environmental destruction, resistance to imperialism, the global effort to abolish slavery, and most of all, a…

In the second of Black Sheep's two part episode on Sir George Grey, Aotearoa is launched into the worst conflicts of the New Zealand Wars and George Grey will play a leading role. This is the second in a two-part podcast on George Grey, the two-time governor of Aotearoa who led this country through most of the New Zealand Wars in the 1840s, 50s and 60s. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Sir George Grey led Aotearoa into some of the worst conflicts of the New Zealand Wars. But at the beginning of his career many saw him as a defender of indigenous rights - including some Māori! So... What happened? RNZ's Black Sheep Podcast presents a two-part episode on Sir George Grey, the colonial governor who led Aotearoa into many of the worst conflicts of the New Zealand Wars in the 1840s, 50s and 60s. In this first episode, we look at how Grey gained a reputation with the British Colonial Office as an effective administrator with supposedly "progressive" attitudes towards indigenous people (at least by their standards). Some Māori also embrace Grey as a potential ally against the settlers' hunger for land and power. However, Grey's "progressive" reputation is undermined through unfair land deals and unjust wars in his first governorship. In the second episode, Grey becomes governor of Cape Colony, South Africa, where his ruthless, authoritarian streak grows wider. By the time he returns for his second…

Black Sheep returns for a Sixth Season! Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Minnie Dean is the only woman to be judicially executed in New Zealand history. For years she was portrayed as a cold-blooded killer who murdered babies for cash. More recently, attitudes towards Minnie have shifted, but she's still a controversial and complex figure. Black Sheep dives into the story of the baby farmer of Winton. Minnie Dean must rank as one of New Zealand's most infamous figures. The first and only woman to be judicially executed in our history. For years she was portrayed as a cold-blooded killer who murdered babies for cash. More recently, attitudes towards Minnie have shifted, but she's still a controversial and complex figure. Minnie arrived in Invercargill on a ship from Tasmania in the early 1860s. We don't know exactly which year or her age but she would have been in her late teens or early 20s. She told people she was the widow of an Australian doctor and the daughter of a Presbyterian minister back home in Scotland. That story wasn't true. But as historian Barbara Brookes…

The case of the Bassett Road machinegun murders breaks wide open, two key witnesses come forward with critical information. But the most interesting part of the story is what happens after the conviction... It's nearly Christmas, 1963. Detectives have identified John Gillies as their main suspect in the murders of Kevin Speight and George Walker. Both men were found riddled with .45 caliber bullets from a submachine gun inside their rented house in Bassett Road, Remuera. The killings had all the hallmarks of a gang turf war. It was quickly proven that the two victims had been operating an illegal beerhouse at Bassett Road. But witnesses had painted a confusing picture. They said Gillies got the gun to settle a feud with Barry Shaw. So why was Shaw alive while Speight and Walker were dead? And who was the mysterious second man Gillies says was in the room when the shots were fired? The police didn't know it, but they already had the critical piece of evidence they need to break the case wide open: A love…

It's 1963 and two bodies are found in a house at Bassett Road in Remuera. Detectives are shocked to discover they were killed by a submachine-gun. Newspaper headlines read "Chicago Comes to New Zealand". Black Sheep investigates a true crime story that scandalised New Zealand Two bodies are found in a house at Bassett Road in Remuera. Detectives are shocked to discover they were killed in a hail of machine-gun bullets. Newspaper headlines read "Chicago Comes to New Zealand". Black Sheep investigates a true crime story that scandalised New Zealand in 1963. It was Saturday Morning, December 7th 1963. Bassett Road, Remuera. The weather had been sunny and hot all week. Kids were playing in their yards, men were washing their cars. Women were packing picnic hampers for trips to the beach. Eric Lewis drove past them on his way to number 115. He was there to collect the rent. His tenants had moved into the house about a week and a half ago, 26-year-old Kevin Speight and 34-year-old George Walker. Eric walked past…

Flora MacKenzie is one of the most colourful characters in New Zealand history: A hard drinking, hard talking brothel owner from the 1960s and 70s who won the affection of sex workers, police and punters alike. In this episode of Black Sheep, we look at the legend of "Madam Flora". Flora MacKenzie is one of the most colourful characters in New Zealand history: A hard drinking, hard talking brothel owner from the 1960s and 70s who won the affection of sex workers, police and punters alike. There are all kinds of crazy stories about her: The time she threw a dead dog at her neighbour, her famous revolving bed, her close friendship with the head of the Auckland police vice squad. In this episode of Black Sheep, we look at the legend of Madam Flora. Elisabeth Easther is a playwright and actor - and also probably the closest thing to a Flora MacKenzie expert. "It's very hard to get to the truth," Easther said. "You hear so many different versions of , and you have to cobble it together from hearsay and newspaper…

In the 1960s Stewart Smith began a one-man crusade, releasing thousands of invasive fish into New Zealand's rivers, lakes and streams. Why? Well it had something to do with communism and a lot to do with childhood nostalgia. Between the 1960s and late 2000s Stewart Smith went on a one-man crusade, releasing thousands of invasive fish into New Zealand's rivers, lakes and streams. One kind of fish he introduced is now so widespread it's been declared an "acclimatised species", meaning the authorities have basically acknowledged it is impossible to remove it from the wild. "The amount of damage he did was incalculable," says science journalist Charlie Mitchell, who wrote a feature on Smith for Stuff.co.nz. "He could be positioned alongside the people who released stoats and weasels and ferrets in New Zealand," says Bryan Winters, who wrote an authorised biography of Smith entitled That Pommie Bastard. So who was Stewart Smith? He was a devout communist with a stubborn streak a mile wide, a conspiracy theorist…

In part two of Black Sheep's series on Edward Gibbon Wakefield we see theories of "systematic" and "humanitarian" colonisation run into bitter realities. The result is conflict, death and disaster. For Wakefield and for Māori. In the first episode of this two part series about Edward Gibbon Wakefield we talked about the origins of the man once described as a 'Founding Father of New Zealand'. In this episode we see how his plans to colonise Aotearoa ran into some bitter realities. Edward Gibbon Wakefield believed Aotearoa was the perfect place to put his theories of "Systematic Colonisation" into practise. Working with rich and influential allies he set up the New Zealand Company to promote his plans. He wrote thousands of books and pamphlets promoting colonisation. Dr Phillip Temple, author of A Sort of Conscience, said much of Wakefield's writing painted New Zealand as a "vision of paradise". Take this example: "Great valleys occupied with the most beautiful rivers, their feet washed by the ceaseless…

Edward Gibbon Wakefield used to be known as "The Father of New Zealand." But modern historians have pointed to the disastrous impact of his colonial policies on indigenous people, his misleading propaganda and, (not least) his abduction and marriage of a teenage girl. Edward Gibbon Wakefield used to be known as 'The Founding Father of New Zealand.' He was described as a humanitarian visionary, the driving force behind the colonisation of New Zealand and - according to some - the entire British Commonwealth. But Wakefield makes for a problematic kind of parent. Modern historians have pointed to the disastrous impact of his colonial policies on indigenous people, his misleading propaganda and, not least, his abduction of and marriage to a teenage girl. In this two-part episode of Black Sheep, William Ray investigates Wakefield's life and legacy. Troublemaker Edward Gibbon Wakefield came from a middle class home in Cumbria. He was born in 1796, to a family known for their involvement in banking and enthusiasm…

Felix von Luckner was a child aristocrat who ran away to sea, he captained the last square-rigged sailing ship ever to serve in combat, he sailed 3,000 kilometers across the Pacific in a lifeboat. He also led the most embarrassing jailbreak in NZ history. Felix Von Luckner led a very interesting life. He was a child of aristocracy who ran away to sea. He fought in the biggest naval battle of the First World War. He captained the last square rigged sailing ship ever to be used in combat. He sailed three thousand kilometers across the Pacific in a lifeboat. He single-handedly saved his hometown from destruction during WWII. And he punched a member of the Gestapo straight in the face. He was also responsible for what probably ranks as the most embarrassing prison break in New Zealand history. Oh Felix ... where to even begin? THE RUNAWAY ARISTOCRAT Felix Von Luckner was born in June 1881 to a family of German military aristocrats but didn't really seem to enjoy his childhood in the lap of luxury. At 13 years…

In this special episode of Black Sheep, William Ray looks at the history and controversy of historical statues in New Zealand. Statues have become a focus of global protests following the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. In New Zealand statues of Captain Cook and Governor George Grey have been targeted for graffiti, while a statue of Captain John Hamilton was completely removed. In this episode of Black Sheep, William Ray uncovers the stories behind some of these problematic monuments - and looks at different ideas of what should happen to them next. When I was little, I used to play in the fountain next to Centre Place mall in Hamilton. So when I saw the news that a statue of Captain Hamilton was being removed from that spot, I was confused. I couldn't remember that statue standing there when I was younger. It turned out, I was right to be confused - the statue was actually only erected in 2013. An action which Tom Roa (Ngāti Maniapoto) says "defies belief". My hometown was named after…

The story of New Zealand and its people, from its geological origins to modern day. Hosted by William Ray and Leigh-Marama McLachlan, with animation by Chris Maguren. Made possible by the RNZ/NZ On Air Innovation Fund. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

In this special episode of Black Sheep, produced in the aftermath of the 2019 Christchurch Mosque Shootings, William Ray looks at the history of white supremacy in NZ. Since the attack in Christchurch, many people have called for New Zealand to examine its history of white supremacy. In this special episode of Black Sheep, William Ray looks at the origins of this ideology, how it warped and changed over time, and how people have fought against it. By William Ray I missed the Christchurch shooting. My girlfriend and I were out walking the Routeburn Track that weekend. Swimming in Lake Mackenzie, watching kea stalk unattended backpacks, listening to tourists gush about how beautiful and lucky and peaceful this country is. On the Saturday afternoon we were picked up by a bus on the Milford/Te Anau Highway. The driver knew we'd all been out contact with the outside world, so she made an announcement over the intercom. "I've got some really bad news for everyone." I don't remember exactly what she said after…

The story of Horatio Robley continues... How did a man once dubbed a "predator of culture" for his collection of preserved Māori heads become better known as a "friend of the Māori"? In Part 1 of this story, we heard how Horatio Robley came to New Zealand as a young officer in the British Army and witnessed the devastating British defeat at Gate Pā. In Part 2, we hear how the Tauranga War ended, and how Robley became famous as a collector of Mokomokai, preserved Māori heads. A few months after Gate Pā, Māori and British came to blows again at Battle of Te Ranga. This time the British caught Tauranga Māori before they could finish building their Pā, and the half-dug trenches became a mass grave for 108 warriors. Within weeks a peace was negotiated, but Robley and his fellow soldiers stayed on in Tauranga for several more months. In those months, Robley had a chance to become much more intimately involved in Māori culture ...and with one Māori woman in particular. Horatio Te Ropere With the spectre of war…

Horatio Robley witnessed the most famous battle of the New Zealand Wars, he fathered a child with the daughter of a sworn enemy, his sketching helped end a war, his book helped save the art of Maori tattooing... But mostly he's famous for his grotesque collection of nearly 40 human heads. Horatio Robley witnessed the most famous battle of the New Zealand Wars, he fathered a child with the daughter of a sworn enemy, his sketching helped end a war and his book helped save the art of Māori tattooing. But mostly he's famous for his grotesque collection of nearly 40 human heads. A Wall of Heads If you type Horatio Robley's name into a search engine you'll find a seriously disturbing image (a censored version appears above). In the foreground is Robley, dressed in a fancy suit and sporting an enormous handlebar moustache. In one hand he holds a mere (Māori club) and behind him... 35 mokomokai - preserved Māori heads. The heads are in various states. Some are well preserved; you can still clearly make out their…

The death penalty has started wars, won elections, outraged the population and ruined lives. Join William Ray for this live podcast recording at the Bread and Circus Festival in Christchurch with guests Dame Fiona Kidman, Vincent O'Malley and Mark Derby as they unpick the history of executions in New Zealand. The death penalty has started wars, won elections, outraged the population and ruined lives. Join William Ray for this live podcast recording at the Bread and Circus World Buskers Festival in Christchurch with guests Dame Fiona Kidman, Vincent O'Malley and Mark Derby as they unpick the history of executions in New Zealand. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details