Articles in ‘History’

The land issue was the pillar of Kenyan resistance against colonialism How do nations truly break free from colonial chains? What happens when a population, stripped of its land and dignity, decides to fight back against an empire? And what enduring legacies are left when freedom is finally won, but the wounds of the past refuse to heal? These questions lie at the heart of Kenya’s struggle for independence. Kenya was a prime example of…

The Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day or Theophany, is an ancient Christian holiday that predates the celebration of Christmas. People around the world still observe it today, typically on January 6. However, some observers, including Catholics in America, honor different dates. Traditions vary by region. In many Spanish-speaking countries, children receive presents on Día de Los Reyes (Three Kings Day) instead of or in addition to…

The concept of gathering in convivial settings to enjoy a sumptuous feast has persisted throughout the history of humankind. Dating back as far as prehistoric man, the consumption of substantial amounts of food to celebrate the midwinter solstice has been discovered through archaeological finds in locations such as Stonehenge. In the time of the Romans, the winter festival known as Saturnalia began on the 17th December and involved a week-long…

For nearly her entire life, Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India, kept a diary detailing royal life, world affairs, political intrigue and even her passion for her husband, Prince Albert. Starting in 1832 when she was 13, Victoria wrote nearly every day for nearly 69 years—sometimes jotting thousands of words at a time and occasionally studding the pages with her own drawings and watercolors.…

It may not be generally known that, immediately after WWII, as many as 48,000 volunteers, both Jews and non-Jews, from 59 nations arrived in Israel to fight for its independence. About 90% of Israel's fledging Air Force pilots were new arrivals – the often-overlooked heroes of their time. In many Western countries, the present cohort of military-age young people generally seems to display an ignorance of integrity, the indispensable value of…

The first recorded use of the term “Black Friday” was applied not to post-Thanksgiving holiday shopping but to a financial crisis: specifically, the crash of the U.S. gold market on September 24, 1869. Two notoriously ruthless Wall Street financiers, Jay Gould and Jim Fisk, worked together to buy up as much of the nation's gold as they could, hoping to drive the price sky-high and sell it for astonishing profits. On that Friday in September,…

Many of us are currently opening little doors to reveal chocolate, gin or lipgloss, culminating on December 25th when the real orgy of present-opening will begin. In some households, dogs and cats have their own advent calendars, while rabbits can feast on no-mince pies to get them in the festive spirit. And this year in particular, advent windows are popping up all over the Christmas-celebrating parts of the world, with Christmassy scenes…

When audiences first saw The Wizard of Oz in 1939, they were dazzled by the movie’s use of Technicolor. Dorothy’s ruby slippers sparkled, the yellow brick road gleamed and the Wicked Witch of the West appeared in a shocking shade of green skin. But L. Frank Baum’s original book never described her that way. How does the Wicked Witch appear in the original story? In Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is…

“A hundred immigrants just landed have been sent here. The Government found them lodgings and give them rations . . . till they can be sent forth to their own grants of land.”1 These were just some of the immigrants who had recently arrived as part of the Waikato Immigration Scheme.2 Between October 1864 and June 1865, thirteen ships arrived in Auckland with settlers from Scotland, Ireland, England and South Africa on board. With promises of…

A 10,000-year-old archaeological site in central Turkey offers a glimpse into daily life at the dawn of the agricultural age, including what ancient people ate—and how they made yogurt. By analyzing proteins left on pottery shards found at the Neolithic settlement of Çatalhöyük, researchers discovered that Neolithic people were making and eating yogurt—or something like it—at least 8,000 years ago. It wasn’t exactly the thick, tangy yogurt of…

‘[This] has been the busiest, gloomiest and most exciting fortnight I have ever passed. The war has suddenly left Taranaki and broken out here.’1 So wrote Rev Vicesimus Lush, Anglican minister, in his journal on July 19th 1863. Only a month before, he had speculated that the fighting was not expected to ‘extend beyond the Taranaki.’2 With war breaking out within his parish borders, rather than hundreds of miles away, Lush stopped being a casual…

New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will ban the public sale and use of fireworks across New Zealand. The abuse and misuse of fireworks far outweighs any of the benefits. “The taxpayer should not be spending millions of dollars on something that drastically impacts pets, causes inevitable fires, and causes havoc for our emergency services” – Rt Hon Winston Peters. Enough is enough. ### “This is not about being ‘nanny…

After 38 proud years gracing New Zealand’s skies, one of the nation’s most cherished warbirds is preparing to embark on a new chapter. The iconic Douglas DC-3 “Betsy” (ZK-DAK)—a symbol of aviation’s golden age and a living link to our wartime heritage—is set to leave New Zealand for Darwin, Australia, marking the end of an extraordinary era. A Last Hurrah Before the Journey North! Before she departs, Fly DC-3 NZ and the NZ Warbirds Association…

I’m a hostile spy from, ohhh, let’s say China. No, Israel. Or Russia. Whatever: the most important thing is that I’m a spy. I’m wanting to know where all of New Zealand’s defences are located, who is manning them, when these defences are most vulnerable, and how many soldiers and weapons New Zealand has. I could do a Google search, comb through Wikileaks, or look for an informant, a leak, a modern-day Bill Sutch… Actually, there’s no need for…

CelticNZ https://www.youtube.com/@AncientCelticNewZealand Summary Russell Price, an amateur archaeologist, conducted extensive archaeological digs at Pukawa in New Zealand over a period of 25 years. He discovered undeniable proof of ancient human occupation spanning 7,000 years, predating the arrival of the Polynesian Maori. Price used tephra stratigraphy, the study of volcanic ash layers, to date the artifacts found beneath the ash bands.…

Three hundred years ago, a cultural revolution exploded out of East London. The narrow lane of Paternoster Row, today lined with trendy cafés and sushi shops, feels like an unlikely spot for the birth of the pirates of the Caribbean. But this was once the heart of the English capital’s publishing industry—and a place of justice for the most dreaded brigands. Paternoster Row stands a few blocks away from the Old Bailey courts and Newgate Prison,…

In the Northern Hemisphere the traditional ‘May Day’ celebration is an ancient festival whose origins are shrouded in the mists of time. It is said that the earliest May Day observances began in pre-Christian times out of the Roman empire, a dedication to the Roman flower goddess Floralia, or Flora and a celebration of the advent of the arrival of Summer and blossoming flowers. However we know that the Roman’s were great mimics, in fact this…

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. My Father served his Queen throughout the Boer War 1899 – 1902 A son remembers By Kenneth Bliss On their way from England to settle in New Zealand in 1875, my grandparents William and Maria Bliss broke their journey at Hobart, Tasmania, where my father Albert Edward…

The anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on 6 February is an appropriate time to reflect on the Treaty, and what it means for New Zealand today. The signing of the Treaty marked the beginning of the formation of the modern nation of New Zealand. Today New Zealand is a multi-ethnic liberal democracy where discrimination based on ethnicity, race or national origin is illegal. Like the Bill of Rights, the Treaty places ‘nga tangata…

Scientists have, for the first time, unearthed incredibly well-preserved stomach contents from within a fossilized skeleton of a young tyrannosaur, which has led to a curious discovery about the growing beast’s paleo palate. The preserved Gorgosaurus libratus specimen was found in Dinosaur Provincial Park, Canada’s historic region that has so far unearthed the fossils of 58 different species. But it wasn’t until much later, after Royal Tyrrell…