Ngā Here - The Many Connections

In this episode, we explore how the spaces we build reveal the true desires of our hearts and the values of our culture. James, Waiora, and Andrew step out of the Wellington streets and into the quiet beauty of St Peter's Anglican Church, contrasting its worshipful design with the imperial ambition of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. 
The crew then heads to Te Herenga Waka Marae to speak with Mike Ross about spaces grounded in whakapapa, diversity, and connection to the whenua. They explore the living building of Ngā Mokopuna, which has the value of manakitanga embedded in its construction. 
Make sure you keep listening to the rest of the season!
Ngā Here - Many Connections is created with support from the Wilberforce Foundation, produced by Mick Andrews at CBA, with Creative Direction from James Beck. Find out more at arocha.org.nz

In this episode, we explore how the digital "cloud" is actually reliant on the earth and is sustained by a highly extractive physical economy that even treats human attention as a raw material. James, Waiora, and Andrew compare the resource extraction and cheap labour that ancient empires relied on with the real-world implications of Artificial Intelligence.
To find an alternative to this tech-driven world, the crew heads into a patch of regenerating bush in Aro Valley with educator Bronwyn Wood. While surrounded by birds, the crew explore the dangers of gamifying classrooms and outsourcing our cognitive work to AI, discussing why genuine education requires deep relationality and physical presence and how being attentive to creation reveals a profound counter-narrative to the homogenising power of empire.
Make sure you keep listening to the rest of the season!
Ngā Here - Many Connections is created with support from the Wilberforce Foundation, produced by Mick Andrews at CBA, with Creative Direction from James Beck. Find out more at arocha.org.nz

In this episode, we explore how a single, unified language can fuel the dangerous ambitions of an empire, whether it is the ancient builders of Babel or the creators of the atomic bomb. James, Waiora, and Andrew unpack the end of Genesis 11, discovering that the confusion of the languages may have been God's way of resisting the homogenization of humanity. 
To understand who really controls this shared digital language, the crew is joined by AI researcher Ali Knott. Ali explores why he thinks that we urgently need transparent AI governance. He also suggests that local communities could take control of their own digital infrastructure to align technology with their own values. 
Make sure you keep listening to the rest of the season!
Ngā Here - Many Connections is created with support from the Wilberforce Foundation, produced by Mick Andrews at CBA, with Creative Direction from James Beck. Find out more at arocha.org.nz

In this episode, we explore the terrifying possibility of superintelligent AI and why an endless technological arms race could lead to our ultimate undoing. James, Waiora, and Andrew look at the very end of the Babel narrative, reframing God’s scattering of humanity not as a punishment, but as a redemptive act that disrupts centralised power and opens the door to genuine human flourishing. 
The crew compare the Babel story to the story of Pentecost, asking what it means for the Spirit to empower a global, multilingual resistance movement in the face of modern empires. Drawing on the subversive poetry of Revelation, James shares his personal journey of learning Te Reo Māori, highlighting how actively participating in the diversity of God's creation is a powerful act of resistance against the homogenising forces of both colonial history and digital technology. 
Make sure you keep listening to the rest of the season!
Ngā Here - Many Connections is created with support from the Wilberforce Foundation, produced by Mick Andrews at CBA, with Creative Direction from James Beck. Find out more at arocha.org.nz

In this episode, we explore how ancient empires and modern artificial intelligence might be built on exactly the same values. 
James, Waiora, and Andrew continue unpacking Genesis 11, exploring how the push for a single global language and ultimate "efficiency" is the classic playbook of an empire. Waiora shares how Te Ao Māori values a deep, localised connection to the whenua and a diversity of thought over the homogenising power of imperial control. The crew is then joined by computer scientist Neil, who breaks down how Large Language Models actually work. Together, they explore how the universal language of ones and zeros shapes our imaginations and whether our world is blindly rushing towards a dystopian future. 
Make sure you keep listening to the rest of the season!
Ngā Here - Many Connections is created with support from the Wilberforce Foundation, produced by Mick Andrews at CBA, with Creative Direction from James Beck. Find out more at arocha.org.nz