The Māori: The First People of Aotearoa (New Zealand)
In the Season 2 finale of Lost Cultures: Living Legacies, host Alisha Prakash delves into the history and traditions of the Māori, the first people of Aotearoa (New Zealand). Centuries ago, their ancestors crossed the Pacific in waka, or canoes, navigating by stars, bird migrations, and ocean swells. Their arrival marked the beginning of a cultural legacy rooted in kinship with the land and sea and guided by a deep spiritual connection to the natural world. We’re joined by two Māori cultural leaders who share how they carry this legacy forward through their work and lived experience. Rawiri Edward Manawatu, from the South Island town of Kaikōura, helps his iwi (tribe) stay connected to their ancestral homeland through community-led development. Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr, a master navigator, is reviving the sacred art of traditional Polynesian voyaging. Through their stories, we explore Māori oral histories, spiritual beliefs, social structures, and the lasting effects of colonization, along with powerful efforts to reclaim and revitalize culture. The conversation also highlights ways visitors can connect meaningfully with Māori life today, from sacred coastal landscapes to world-class museums and immersive cultural tours.
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The Narragansett: Bridging the Past With the Future
In this episode, host Alisha Prakash speaks with three members of the Narragansett community—Lorén Spears, Executive Director of the Tomaquag Museum, and Dawn and Cassius Spears, founders of Ashawaug Farm—whose ancestral homelands are in present-day Rhode Island. The conversation delves into the preservation and legacy of Narragansett cultural traditions, examining pivotal historical events such as the Great Swamp Massacre of 1675 and the enduring struggle for sovereignty and representation. It also highlights the essential role of museums, education, oral history, and food sovereignty in preserving Indigenous language, knowledge, and cultural heritage, and in ensuring these traditions continue to empower future generations. The guests also share what to know and see when visiting Rhode Island to learn more about the Narragansett people's past and present.
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Encore: The Tongva: A Lasting Influence on Los Angeles
Los Angeles today is an influencer on the global stage, thanks to its most well-known industry, Hollywood. And its very name hints at the earlier influence of colonizers from Spain and Mexico in the area. But who were the original influencers of the L.A. Basin? And how did this Indigenous culture help shape the way Angelenos and tourists experience the area today? Guests Kimberly Morales Johnson and Desireé Martinez, both members of the Gabrielino-Tongva community, guide us through the history of their people and tell us about the efforts to reestablish and revitalize their culture after past endeavors have attempted to limit and even erase it. They also share how visitors can interact with their history and culture in a responsible way.
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The Sámi: A Story of Resilience
In this moving and deeply personal episode of "Lost Cultures: Living Legacies", host Alisha Prakash takes listeners to the Arctic homeland of the Sámi people, the Indigenous communities of Sápmi, a vast region spanning Norway, Sweden, Finland, and northwest Russia. We speak with three Sámi voices from Norway: renowned musician Mari Boine, professor of sociology Astri Dankertsen, and reindeer herder and cultural guide Jon Mikkel Eirá. Together, they share how Sámi traditions like joiking, reindeer herding, and land stewardship continue to adapt and thrive despite generations of cultural suppression. Their stories trace how songs once banned by missionaries now resound on global stages, how ancient herding practices have merged with modern technology, and how Sámi knowledge speaks urgently to the challenges of climate change. They also offer thoughtful guidance on how visitors can meaningfully connect with Sámi culture today.
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Encore: The Rapa Nui: The Actual Name of Easter Island and its People
You’ve likely heard of “Easter Island” and the giant stone statues that famously reside there, confounding people who can’t understand how people could have made and moved them so long in the past. But did you know that the island and the people that live here are actually called Rapa Nui? Or that the artistry and engineering of those statues are a key reason that the people there were able to survive on such a remote island with limited resources? Filmmaker and member of the Rapa Nui community Sergio Mata’u Rapu and Professor Carl Lipo share the history and culture of the Rapa Nui and how the people living there today – or in the far flung diaspora – still rely on the lessons of their ancestors today.
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What can we discover about a place by exploring the histories of those who once lived there–and those who live there still ? In what ways do cultures build upon each other as populations come and go? How do they complement each other, interact, and leave their marks on the people that come after them? And are cultures truly ever lost, even if the people move on or evolve and adapt? Lost Cultures: Living Legacies—the award-winning podcast from Travel + Leisure—returns for Season 2. This season, we’re diving into the stories of vibrant communities around the globe, including the Kānaka Maoli of Hawai‘i, the Sámi of Norway, the Baghdadi Jewish community of India, and more!
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