Culture

The long tail of Witi Ihimaera Smiler's The Whale Rider

Reflections on a novel that has inspired storytellers for over 30 years.

Group Think

04 Oct 2026

Witi Ihimaera stands to speak at a standing microphone. There's a music stand with paper on it in front of him. He's wearing a hat and brown coat. Behind him are covers of his books The Whale Rider, and The Star Path.

A couple are sitting down. One is holding a baby while the other pats a whippet dog. Behind them is a collage of green.

Culture

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TV & Film

Culture

‘I was fighting for my life’: Rose Matafeo chased by sheep on Taskmaster NZ

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22 Sep 2026

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Books

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A black and white photo of the artist and writer Terri Te Tau who is a young woman with mid-length hair. She is smiling. Behind her is a collage of colourful shapes.

Culture

'That's how you cheat death, Māui': Terri Te Tau's spacetime tips and tricks

The Spinoff Review of Books

30 Sep 2026

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five people stand on stage applauding wearing smart casual clothing

Culture

Seven things we learned at Wellington's Verb festival

Haunting Barbadoes Street: John Summers’ lost Christchurch

‘When it comes to war, human rights and genocide, it all starts with language’

Brannavan Gnanalingam

26 Sep 2026

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A collage of the book cover of Dirty Work by Nicky Hager.

Culture

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 25

The Spinoff Review of Books

25 Sep 2026

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A black and white photo of Gabrielle Vincent who is a young woman with short bobbed hair. Behind her is a collage of colour blocks, and book covers.

Culture

‘The specifics to Auckland life really got me’: Gabrielle Vincent’s favourite local read

The Spinoff Review of Books

24 Sep 2026

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Music

Opinion

Culture

If Laneway’s 2027 poster feels slight, there’s a reason for that

NZ is spending millions to lure the big acts. Is it working?

At Large with Toby Manhire

22 Sep 2026

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‘Don’t talk to artists’: Confessions of a concert security guard

Review: The Beths enter their greatest hits era with the ‘By Request’ tour

Reb Fountain is voting for love this year

Jon Toogood wouldn’t change a thing, even the parts that sucked

Life Advice

24 Aug 2026

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Stage

a portrait of a middle aged man with blue eyes, white skin, and dark brown short curly hair. He wears a forest green collared shirt

Culture

‘I can’t wait to put them in a play’: Dave Armstrong on the benefits of meeting insufferable people

Amit Ohdedar doesn’t regret a single moment living in New Zealand

Pork & Poll Taxes reclaims New Zealand’s forgotten history on stage

Urzila Carlson on why having good manners trumps all

Guy Montgomery on the secret to creativity and the power of the phone call

Has the arts sector ever done it this hard?

Chris Schulz

02 Aug 2026

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Visual Arts

Culture

Inside the Westlake Boys High School sewing club

Meet the artist who created a new portrait every day for a year

How Hugo Koha Lindsay turned colonial blackboards into works of Māori resistance

The inside story of Simon the sign guy, Wellington’s favourite street artist

‘We are oppressed by a brutal bourgeoisie’: What 96 years of living has taught painter Jacqueline Fahey

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Emma Gleason

18 May 2026

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The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 18

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18 Sep 2026

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Our writers

Claire Mabey

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Meet the tiny indie publisher behind the New Zealand novel of the year

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03 Oct 2026

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30 Sep 2026

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Buyer beware: New pineapple Fruju found cosplaying as grapefruit

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21 Sep 2026

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Veronica Schmidt

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‘Enrol and have a free sausage’: Inside the campaigns to get young people to vote

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Opinion

If Laneway’s 2027 poster feels slight, there’s a reason for that

Chris Schulz

01 Oct 2026

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Tara Ward

TV & Film

Politics

Society

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‘I was fighting for my life’: Rose Matafeo chased by sheep on Taskmaster NZ

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30 Sep 2026

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Tara Ward

29 Sep 2026

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Emma Gleason

Culture

Business

Kai

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New and approved: Yola, Auckland

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01 Oct 2026

Inside the Westlake Boys High School sewing club

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28 Sep 2026

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Culture

Culture

The long tail of Witi Ihimaera Smiler's The Whale Rider

Meet the tiny indie publisher behind the New Zealand novel of the year

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending October 2

The Unity Books children's book review roundup for spring

TV & Film

‘I was fighting for my life’: Rose Matafeo chased by sheep on Taskmaster NZ

Is it possible to eat well for less anymore?

New to Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week

The New Zealand bush is the real star of Brad Pitt’s new movie

Review: New family drama This Is Home is a beautiful, gentle gem

Review: New doco Meet the Preppers will make you stop scrolling and get ready

Books

'That's how you cheat death, Māui': Terri Te Tau's spacetime tips and tricks

Seven things we learned at Wellington's Verb festival

Haunting Barbadoes Street: John Summers’ lost Christchurch

‘When it comes to war, human rights and genocide, it all starts with language’

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 25

‘The specifics to Auckland life really got me’: Gabrielle Vincent’s favourite local read

Music

If Laneway’s 2027 poster feels slight, there’s a reason for that

NZ is spending millions to lure the big acts. Is it working?

‘Don’t talk to artists’: Confessions of a concert security guard

Review: The Beths enter their greatest hits era with the ‘By Request’ tour

Reb Fountain is voting for love this year

Jon Toogood wouldn’t change a thing, even the parts that sucked

Stage

‘I can’t wait to put them in a play’: Dave Armstrong on the benefits of meeting insufferable people

Amit Ohdedar doesn’t regret a single moment living in New Zealand

Pork & Poll Taxes reclaims New Zealand’s forgotten history on stage

Urzila Carlson on why having good manners trumps all

Guy Montgomery on the secret to creativity and the power of the phone call

Has the arts sector ever done it this hard?

Visual Arts

Inside the Westlake Boys High School sewing club

Meet the artist who created a new portrait every day for a year

How Hugo Koha Lindsay turned colonial blackboards into works of Māori resistance

The inside story of Simon the sign guy, Wellington’s favourite street artist

‘We are oppressed by a brutal bourgeoisie’: What 96 years of living has taught painter Jacqueline Fahey

If fashion is art, why doesn’t CNZ fund it?

More in Culture

Nicky Hager and Dirty Work, 24 hours on

New to Streaming: What to watch on Netflix NZ, Neon and more this week

Louise Upston was advised not to invest in concerts. She did it anyway

Waka Aroha: Hēmi Kelly rāua ko Atakohu Middleton kōrero

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending September 18

Our writers

Claire Mabey

Articles by author

Meet the tiny indie publisher behind the New Zealand novel of the year

It’s the year of the horse book

Liam Rātana

Articles by author

The Warriors just had their greatest Dally M night ever. So can they finally win the NRL?

The wildest moments from a hectic Te Tai Tonga debate

Toby Manhire

Articles by author

Why Mt Albert is shaping up as the most exciting battle of election 2026

The pre-election books have been opened. Do they bring cause to cheer?

Alex Casey

Articles by author

Buyer beware: New pineapple Fruju found cosplaying as grapefruit

Review: Good Bones is a hilarious, mysterious home renovation nightmare

Veronica Schmidt

Articles by author

Opportunity knocked: Qiulae Wong trails in fourth in Mt Albert poll

Boycott over: David Seymour returns to Morning Report

Chris Schulz

Articles by author

‘Enrol and have a free sausage’: Inside the campaigns to get young people to vote

If Laneway’s 2027 poster feels slight, there’s a reason for that

Tara Ward

Articles by author

‘I was fighting for my life’: Rose Matafeo chased by sheep on Taskmaster NZ

Is it possible to eat well for less anymore?

Emma Gleason

Articles by author

New and approved: Yola, Auckland

Inside the Westlake Boys High School sewing club