Welcome to The Taonga Files

In our very first episode, we open the doors to The Taonga Files and introduce the kaupapa behind the podcast. Join Amber Aranui, Migoto Eria‑Rowell, and Monica Tromp — three wāhine with decades of experience across archaeology, curation, science, repatriation, museum practice, and community‑driven research — as we share who we are, why we do this mahi, and what listeners can expect from the journey ahead.

We talk about our different pathways into the heritage sector, the moments that shaped our careers, and the responsibility that comes with working with taonga and the communities connected to them. This episode sets the foundation for everything to come: provenance, reconnection, truth‑telling, and the stories that museums don’t always show.

No matter which season you start listening to, this is the best place to start as it introduces the foundations of the podcast.

You’ll hear about:

• Our backgrounds and what brought each of us into this mahi

• Why provenance research matters — and why it’s anything but boring

• The emotional, cultural, and historical weight carried by taonga

• How science, storytelling, and community kōrero come together in this space
• What you can expect from future episodes, including case studies, interviews, and behind‑the‑scenes insights

This is your invitation into the world behind the labels and the glass cases — a world of journeys, relationships, and stories waiting to be reconnected.

Follow us, subscribe, and join us as we open the first file.

Every taonga has a story. Let’s explore them together.

Glossary

Taonga - possession, object, treasured possession, something prized

Whakapapa - genealogy, lineage, descent

Mātauranga - knowledge, wisdom

Māori - indigenous person of Aotearoa/New Zealand, normal, natural, ordinary

Moriori - indigenous person of the Chatham Islands/Rēkohu

Tūpuna/tupuna - ancestors/ancestor

Whenua - land, country, ground

Iwi - extended kinship group, nation, tribe, bone

Aotearoa - New Zealand

Wānanga - forum, conference, seminar

Mana motuhake - autonomy, self-governance, self-determination

Pakeke - mature adult

Kaumātua - elder

Kaimahi - worker, staff, employee

The Taonga Files is a podcast about provenance research — the detective work of uncovering the histories of taonga Māori held in museum collections. Each episode explores how research reveals not only what sits on museum shelves, but how those taonga arrived there, and the stories they carry.

This show demonstrates that provenance research is far from dry or technical. It is exciting, meaningful, and deeply human. By tracing the journeys of taonga, we reconnect communities in the present with the voices of the past.

Unlike other museum-focused podcasts, The Taonga Files centres on reconnection. It highlights how uncovering provenance restores whakapapa, returns mana to taonga, and strengthens the bonds between museums and the communities whose heritage they hold.