Taranaki Wars: Unpacking Stories Through Objects

About this programme

How can objects help us to understand stories of the past? 

Step into the stories held within Puke Ariki’s collections and explore how history is shaped, challenged, and remembered. In this session, students examine taonga, artefacts, and archival objects, uncovering the stories and differing perspectives connected to them.

This programme directly connects to the Taranaki Land Wars, including the Pekapeka Block dispute at Waitara, while remaining adaptable to other topics on request. Through analysing primary sources, students build key historical enquiry skills, including interpreting evidence and constructing informed perspectives. 

Designed for NCEA History classes, this session can be extended with a research visit to Te Pua Wānanga o Taranaki | The Taranaki Research Centre, and off-site experiences such as Te Whare Hononga or Walk in the Footsteps.