Ngā Taonga kaimahi group photo with certificate

Tangata Whenua inscribed on UNESCO Memory of the World register

10 Oct 2024
On Thursday 10 October, Ngā Taonga was honoured to attend the UNESCO Memory of the World inscription ceremony for the 1974 series Tangata Whenua

Hero image: Photo from the 2024 inscription ceremony at the National Library of New Zealand. Credit: Anaru Dalziel.

Tangata Whenua: The People of the Land has been officially recognised as a significant piece of the nation's documentary heritage. It has been preserved and protected for future generations and now sits alongside taonga like the Treaty of Waitangi and World War II New Zealand Mobile Broadcasting Unit Recordings on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register for Aotearoa.

The official inscription ceremony was held at The National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, where Tangata Whenua was one of four new documentary heritage inscriptions from national and regional institutions. Also inscribed were the William James Harding Collection held by Alexander Turnbull Library, Whanganui Regional Museum and the Alexander Heritage and Research Library; the Frank Sargeson Collection held by the Alexander Turnbull Library; and Janet Frame Literary and Personal Papers from Hocken Collections Uare Taoka o Hākena.

Memory of the World recognises significant documentary heritage similarly to the way UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention and World Heritage List recognises significant natural and cultural sites.

Ngā Taonga is proud to care for Tangata Whenua, and to have digitally preserved the groundbreaking series in 4K resolution in 2022. All six episodes are available to watch on TVNZ+.

View Tangata Whenua on the New Zealand UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

Close up of framed certificate

Framed UNESCO Memory of the World inscription certificate for Tangata Whenua: The People of the Land. Credit: Anaru Dalziel.