150 years since the battle at Waerenga-ā-Hika www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu...

Fully support the universities in this. But if they are genuinely committed to ensuring "free public access to the research...taxes had funded" maybe those that limit access to electronic copies of theses to current staff or students could open them up to the public. www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

"It’s deeply alarming...Why are they trying to reframe this history? We need to grapple with it.” www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

Diluting history curriculum risks 'leaving our past to chance' - Academic www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu...

The invasion of Parihaka, 5 November 1881. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

Māori academic warns draft curriculum erases children's rights to local histories www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

"yet another example of the hostility to history, humanities and social sciences that the current coalition Government has repeatedly demonstrated" www.thepost.co.nz/culture/3608...

"The curriculum is dishonest and it's regressive because it's not an honest reflection of our past" www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

If any teachers would like to share their thoughts on the draft social sciences curriculum through my newsletter send me a DM.

It's always important to know our histories, but now with the rise of populist politics, we really do need school students to understand. In article below @vomalley.bsky.social quotes Jim Bolger 'You cannot know who you are as a society unless you know your history' buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

Don't see the new Aotearoa NZ histories curriculum online yet. But Act are already crowing about having gutted it. community.scoop.co.nz/2025/10/new-...

Today marks the 190th anniversary of the signing of He Whakaputanga, along with being Te Pūtake o te Riri/He Rā Maumahara, the national day of commemoration for the NZ Wars. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

The Education Minister is due to announce a 'refreshed' social studies curriculum on Tuesday with the Aotearoa NZ histories curriculum likely to be significantly watered down. Jim Bolger's advocacy for facing up to out history will be trampled on if that is the case. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

The Otago Daily Times features an extract from ‘The Meeting Place: Māori and Pākehā Encounters, 1642–1840’ by Vincent O’Malley, focusing on early whaling stations and cross-cultural relationships in southern Te Waipounamu. 👉 Read the piece: www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/maga...

"It shouldn’t be underestimated just how significant it was that the leader of a right-wing political party, historically not exactly renowned for its embrace of Māori interests and causes, initiated the modern process of Treaty settlements." buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

Shame on this government for the deeply racist Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Amendment Act, just passed into law.

📣 Join Dr Vincent O’Malley at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato this Saturday for 'The Invasion of Waikato / Te Riri ki Tainui' – a free public talk marking He Rā Maumahara, our National Day of Remembrance for the New Zealand Wars. Book here: zurl.co/iOfW8

“A new modus operandi for Māori and Pākehā relations in the 21st century may draw at least in part on some of the lessons learned from the encounters that took place before 1840.” — Vincent O’Malley, from his new book The Meeting Place.

I'm giving a free public talk in Kirikiriroa Hamilton next week to mark Te Pūtake o te Riri – He Rā Maumahara, the national day of commemoration for the New Zealand Wars, along with some book signings at Poppies Hamilton. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

'Garrison World: Redcoat Soldiers in New Zealand and across the British Empire' by Charlotte Macdonald publishes in November. Preorder now from your local bookseller or through our website: www.bwb.co.nz/books/garrison... 📷 Neil Pardington

A good crowd at Royal Society Te Apārangi celebrated the new edition of 'The Meeting Place' by Vincent O’Malley last night! Hon. Sir Joe Williams gave a brilliant launch speech, with kōrero from Kahu Hotere and Vincent. BWB Talks video coming soon. In stores now! www.bwb.co.nz/books/the-meet...

This is truly shameful legislation. The government is once again showing contempt for the rule of law. www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Vincent O’Malley has received a 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. 🎥 Highlights incl. kōrero with Carol Hirschfeld: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub18... 📚 His new book The Meeting Place is out now — join us tonight at The Royal Society, Wellington!

🔉 Event reminder! Join us at Royal Society Te Apārangi to hear historian Vincent O’Malley discuss the new edition of 'The Meeting Place'. Speakers: Hon. Sir Joe Williams & Kahu Hotere 🗓 Tue 14 Oct | 🕠 5.30pm (start 6) 📍 11 Turnbull St, Wgtn 🎟 Free – all welcome zurl.co/FKoIM

📚 Bookshop Day 2025 is Sat 11 Oct! Support local booksellers, authors & publishers ❤️ ✨ Where to find BWB authors: Nadine Hura — Unity Books Wellington 11 am Vincent O’Malley — Marsden Books, Karori 12:30 pm Lucy Mackintosh — Time Out Bookstore, Akld www.booksellers.co.nz/booksh... #bookshopday

I will be down at Marsden Books, Karori, this Saturday 11 October at 12.30pm to sign books and stuff for Bookshop Day. Come along if you are in the area.

"If you want a job you go where the jobs are." Australia? www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

The Waitangi Tribunal turns 50. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

Advance copy of the new book.

Cowardly and embarrassing. NZ not yet recognising Palestinian state, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announces www.rnz.co.nz/news/politic...

Lovely to see Mike the Juggler, who put smiles on the faces of so many Wellingtonians and tourists, has his own Wikipedia page. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_th...

Book launch details and how to enter the draw for a signed copy of my new book. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

If you are in Wellington on 14 October, a new edition of my book 'The Meeting Place' is being launched at the Royal Society Te Apārangi, with Hon. Justice Sir Joe Williams speaking. @bwbnz.bsky.social @royalsocietynz.bsky.social www.bwb.co.nz/events/bwb-t...

My tribute to Dame Joan Metge and Emeritus Professor Keith Sorrenson, two scholars who made important contributions to our understanding of Aotearoa NZ culture, society and history. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

Exciting about being on the organising crew for the open-access, virtual Te Tiriti based futures + Antiracism 21-26th March 2026. Check out the draft programme. Registrations open later in the year.

Nice piece from John Campbell. www.1news.co.nz/2025/09/06/j...

Sad to hear that historian Keith Sorrenson (Ngāti Pūkenga) died recently. He played a significant role in promoting understanding of Aotearoa NZ history, including a long period of service as a member of the Waitangi Tribunal in later life. www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2025...

There's quite a lot here that resonates with the anti-research attitude of our government, including the cuts to blue skies Marsden Fund research. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/31/s...

Here's a little story from VUW on receiving a distinguished alumni award. www.wgtn.ac.nz/news/2025/08...

An interview I did with Te Upoko o te Ika radio yesterday. xn--wharekrero-v3b.nz/p.OMg

"There aren’t separate words for famine and starvation in Irish: an gorta covers both. To the English-speakers shaping colonial policy, it was important to have one word implying intent and another evading it." www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/au...

Real countries need to keep learning about their history – James Belich www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/real-coun...

Just imagining for a moment what $671 million literally spent on nothing could do for...I don't know...arts, culture and heritage. Or even a tenth of that, or 1 per cent of it actually.

Pleased to say a new edition of my 2012 book 'The Meeting Place: Māori and Pākehā Encounters, 1642-1840' will be published in October after being out of print for awhile. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

For anyone looking to join the exodus from Substack, I'm on Buttondown. It has a simple pricing structure and is easy to use without too much technical knowledge, focusing more on the newsletters rather than website. But I've never had a Substack so can't compare them buttondown.com/refer/unsett...

Our history is on life support. Don't pull the plug. newsroom.co.nz/2025/08/10/o...

“They are creating the illusion of a threat to justify passing legislation that would make it incredibly difficult for Māori to have their existing rights recognised.“ — Toni Talamaivao.

"After the volatile period of the Treaty Principles Bill, it seems frankly bizarre for the Government to needlessly launch into yet another dispute about Māori rights." www.thepost.co.nz/a/nz-news/36...

My latest newsletter discusses the government's deeply objectionable changes to the Takutai Moana (marine and coastal area) legislation. buttondown.com/unsettling/a...

‘Pull the legislation, and stop hurting Māori’: Former minister Chris Finlayson slams coastal law changes www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3607...