Story: History and historians

Dictionary of New Zealand biography

Dictionary of New Zealand biography

Prime Minister Helen Clark presents Queen Elizabeth II with the five volumes of the Dictionary of New Zealand biography (DNZB), the five volumes of Ngā tāngata taumata rau (containing Māori-language biographies of Māori people in the DNZB), and a CD marking the online publication of the dictionary's website. The presentation was New Zealand's official gift to the Queen on the occasion of her golden jubilee in 2002. The DNZB was a major work of public history, which began in the Department of Internal Affairs under W. H. Oliver and was completed under the editorship of Claudia Orange in 2000. The five print volumes included over 3,000 biographies of dead New Zealanders up to those who flourished in the 1960s. Biographies of more recent individuals have subsequently been published online. The project was notable for its strong representation of Māori and women, and also for including representative 'ordinary' New Zealanders, as well as those of undoubted significance.

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Photography by Woolf

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How to cite this page:

Jock Phillips, 'History and historians - The growth of history – since 1970', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/43563/dictionary-of-new-zealand-biography (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Jock Phillips, published 22 Oct 2014