Short Talks

Photographs of anonymous Māori dress reformers from the early 1900s reveal the erasure of Indigenous women. While wearing “rational clothing” to help fix their stories in our collective memory, Dr Simone Bull will highlight twelve wahine Māori – one for each month – whose achievements show the impact Māori women have had in Aotearoa and beyond over the past 180 years.

In the weeks leading up to Saturday 7 November 2026, millions will vote in the general election, often assuming that every vote carries equal weight. Despite a recent law change, Māori voter turnout will be lower than non-Māori voter turnout, partly because many Māori believe their votes count for less. For much of the past 170 years, they have. If this history is unfamiliar to you, you’re not alone. Dr Simone Bull explores this blind spot in our collective memory, tracing the Māori seats and the people who have held them.