Sonya Bateson: Knowledge of New Zealand history sadly lacking among Kiwis

The Treaty of Waitangi is just one part of New Zealand history. Photo / File

COMMENT: I love a good podcast.

They remind me of my childhood when I would sit around my grandparents' table on a Saturday morning, eating home baking, drinking (very weak) tea and listening to stories unfolding on the radio.

Now I'm grown, I'm lucky enough to have a whole library of radio shows I can listen to on command through the magic of technology.

I put a podcast on when I'm walking to work, when I'm doing housework or when I'm driving my car.

It's a distraction from mundane tasks and an opportunity for a self-described nerd such as myself to learn new things.

One of my favourite podcasts is a show that does in-depth profiles of women from history.

It's a fascinating insight into a world so different from my own, all the more alluring for knowing that it is a world my ancestors once inhabited. That if I could take a trip back in time, I could find the people from which I have sprung and map out the decisions that lead to where I am today.

One incredible thing I find about listening to this history podcast is that the American narrators have such immediate recall of historic facts, particularly around events like the revolution and the civil war.

They'll talk about a woman's birth and casually mention that her home town was just a few miles down the road from a particular historic battle site.

Or they'll know off the top of their heads that a person got married on the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

It's the sort of knowledge that comes automatically to people who have been immersed in their history since childhood.

Americans are proud of the way their country fought to gain independence from the British, and remember with solemnity and reverence the events of the war between North and South.

It's something we lack here in New Zealand. We idolise our World War veterans but that's about as far as our connection with our history goes.

Some of us can probably recall the date of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Fewer still might know about a New Zealand Wars battle in their city.

But our history is so much more than that.

People have lived on our islands for centuries, and their actions built the foundations of the country we live in today.

It is so important to teach our history in schools. Everyone should have basic knowledge of the decisions that made New Zealand the country it is today.

Understanding where we came from is a huge part of knowing where we're going.

Or, as New Zealand History Teachers' Association chairman Graeme Ball says: "It's hard to fathom why we have not thought our own history was not important enough for us."