Ngā Pātaka Kōrero - Auckland Libraries

Revisit Auckland in the 1990s and early 2000s, when dance music culture in Aotearoa was finding its pulse. Warehouses, nightclubs, bush parties and late-night radio built a scene that was energetic, resourceful and distinctly local. Interviewed by Emma Jean Kelly, five DJs and producers reflect on their experiences of a formative period in the evolution of dance music in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Hear the voices of Tiopira McDowell (Miso / Mokotron), Grant Marshall, Chris Chetland, Tim Checkley (Jizmatron / Go Nuclear) and Matt Mariu.

Created in support of the Encore! exhibition, this collection adds vital voices to the history of gigs, venues, genres and music production. https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/en/encore.html

Needle on the Record is produced from long-form oral history interviews commissioned by Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections. https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/oralhistory/id/5352/rec/1

Interviews, selected clips and podcast script by Emma-Jean Kelly.
Narrated and mixed by Julian Lubin.
Produced by Sue Berman.

Photo credit: Needle on the Record, Sue Berman, 2026

Copyright restrictions apply. Please request permission for further use of material.
https://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/en/heritage-and-research/research-enquiry.html

In this episode, we talk with Sue Bradford about her work on the Auckland Unemployed Workers Rights Centre (AUWRC) archive. Sue reflects on the experience of sorting through long‑held boxes of papers, magazines, minute books, photographs, and posters.

This work was supported by the 2025 John Stacpoole Scholarship, awarded by the Auckland Libraries Heritage Trust.
https://www.alht.org.nz/blog/post/160688/aucklands-unemployed-fightback-history-public-talk/

You can read Sue Bradford's written reflections on the project here: https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2026/05/auckland-unemployed-workers-rights-centre-archive.html

The archive will shortly be accessioned by Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection.

In this episode we navigate heritage maps with maps librarian Katrina Laan.

Katrina shares with us five of her favourite maps including the first printed map of the Pacific in 1601, a 1946 tourist map, the fabulous Thomas Wing’s map of the Kaipara Harbour 1835, early city fire insurance maps 1915 and we learn 'just what is a cadastral map'? Listen in to a lively discussion to learn more about these maps and more.

You can read more here:
https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2026/03/awekura-maps.html

And check out an earlier podcast on the Wings maps here: https://soundcloud.com/auckland-libraries/chart-of-kaipara-harbour-by-thomas-wing?in=auckland-libraries/sets/real-gold-treasures-of-the

Links to Auckland Libraries Heritage Maps via Kura Heritage Collections online: https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/maps

Maris Pacifici, 1601, Abraham Ortelius, Map 9588
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/maps/id/9743/rec/1

Auckland and environs : sheet no.4., 1924, New Zealand Department of Lands and Survey, Map 77
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/maps/id/1972/rec/2

Tourist map of New Zealand, 1946, New Zealand Government Tourist Department; Map 9091
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/maps/id/9134/rec/1

Chart of the entrance to Kaipara Harbour, Captain Thomas Wing, January, 1836. Map 4613
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/maps/id/1211/rec/3

Fire insurance maps, 1915, Council of Fire and Accident Underwriters' Association of New Zealand, Map 9128
https://kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/digital/collection/maps/id/9340/rec/1

In this episode we catch up with Renée Orr to discuss the recently acquired privately-published book of prints by the Japanese woodblock artist Hiroshige (1797-1858).

Renée shares the back story of the book to include reference to the front ex libris bookplate of Hilda Wiseman and the intersection of interests with the book’s creator Percy Neville Barnett.

For images and to read more go to: https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2026/03/awekura-hiroshige.html

Books about Japanese woodblock printing and Hiroshige in the lending collection:
Japanese woodblocks : masterpieces of art
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=e36bdd9e-611c-5d58-82e6-43ea6cb2d187&entityType=FormatGroup
Japanese woodblock prints artists, publishers, and masterworks, 1680-1900
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=3982e56a-1106-5e03-9b22-5d6ae823939c&entityType=FormatGroup
Hiroshige : 1797-1858 : master of Japanese Ukiyo-e woodblock prints
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=8672e9c2-887f-5952-b655-20dec9edb785&entityType=FormatGroup
Hiroshige : 1797-1858
https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=474de03c-8fb5-53d4-9f5c-2ffa5decc512&entityType=FormatGroup

Hilda Wiseman collection

https://discover.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/search/card?id=d712d073-8ee7-5001-9fcd-9487dd240255&entityType=FormatGroup
In another dimension : Auckland bookplates 1920-1960 (PR:PURI 2002)
Link to blog: https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2015/06/bookplates-hilda-wiseman-and-auckland.html

Awekura is a kupu drawn from Māori weaponry, particularly the taiaha. It refers to the arero, the tongue of the taiaha, which is adorned with kura, red feathers. The term reflects both the physical beauty and their deeper spiritual and narrative significance. Awekura is the name given to our blog and podcast series that showcases treasures within Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, presented by our library specialists.

In this episode we kōrero with Robert Eruera - Pou Whakarae Taonga Tuku Iho Māori and Maureen Ned - Poukokiri Whakatapoko Tapaenga about a project that, through headsets and augmented reality , we bring to life Heritage Collections and the stories related to the sites of signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

To read more about this material in the blog here: https://heritageetal.blogspot.com/2026/02/awekura-te-tiriti-ki-tamaki-makaurau.html

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Explore the unpublished heritage collections via Kura Heritage Collections online www.kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz and printed material via the Auckland Libraries Catalogue - www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz