Kerre Woodham: History that we deserve

5:30 AM Sunday Aug 14, 2011

Police form a line in front of protesters. Springbok tour September 9, 1981. Photo / APN

When I was studying history at the University of Auckland, New Zealand history was the poor relation to European history.

More students opted to study the Tudors and Stuarts at college than they did our own local stories and although Dr James Belich did his bit with his book and television series on the New Zealand Wars, it was still an uphill struggle.

Sunday Theatre on TV One for the next few weeks should change that - or at least debunk the myth that our stories aren't worth telling.

Opening with the poignant and dramatic story of Bob Blair, the New Zealand cricketer who was touring South Africa when his fiancee died in the Tangiwai disaster, through to the anti-apartheid protests against the Springbok tour that helped bring down a racist regime, New Zealand's history is rich and powerful and it comes to life beautifully in this series of stand-alone docudramas.

By Kerre McIvor

- Herald on Sunday

fullplate (England) | 11:44AM Sunday, 14 Aug 2011

I was studying History at the same time you were Kerre, in fact we shared some lecture, and what you claim simply isn't true. The was and still is plenty of NZ history being studies at UoA under the guidance of dedicated academic staff.

Kerre Woodham (New Zealand) | 02:21PM Sunday, 14 Aug 2011

Read what I wrote - at college, or secondary school, if you prefer, there were more students studying English history, than New Zealand history which was a matter of some concern to the very dedicated and talented historians you refer to.

Barnaby (Brisbane) | 09:19AM Monday, 15 Aug 2011

Too right! Other than the maori wars, New Zealand history was pretty boring stuff. I mean, after a the exciting bits about Von Tempsky, who could get wrapped up in boring old early politics and bearded policians. The development of the NZ rail was interesting but you just couldn't compare all that with the Wars of The Roses, the Tudors and the Stuarts.
And as for the Crimean War, what a rousing tale of derring do! Huzzah!