Close message

Heroes and Superheroes

Kate Sheppard and Apirana Ngata are real heroes in comparison to fictional superhero characters. Explore bravery and achievements in war, peace, sport, science and community includes child, animal and humanitarian super heroes. SCIS no. 1838545

Filter by media type

Display as

Canterbury heroes

Canterbury heroes

Men and women whose achievements are remembered with pride and pleasure.

New Zealand and the Victoria Cross

List of information sources on New Zealand's Victoria Cross winners

Reluctant hero

Documentary covering the presentation of the Victoria Cross to Corporal Willie Apiata.

Timaru's heroes

Timaru's heroes

Statues in Timaru commemorate several New Zealand heroes with local connections. Bob Fitzsimmons was a world champion boxer; athletics star Jack Lovelock won Olympic gold and broke the world record...

Sugar sweet girl hero

Sugar sweet girl hero

Nine year old Blenheim girl receives bravery award for saving her father’s life.

Hero pilot in court

Hero pilot in court

A helicopter pilot who flew two rescue missions without holding a current medical certificate has pleaded guilty to three charges laid by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Farm dog hero

Lily the farm dog saves sheep from fire.

Badge, fundraising

Badge, fundraising

Fundraising badge for Remember Gallipoli Heroes, WW1.

Heroes of Crete

Film clip in which New Zealand Prime Minister Peter Fraser honours the men of the 2nd New Zealand Division who took part in the Crete campaign, May-June 1941.

Humanitarian hero

Humanitarian hero

Sir Edmund Hillary’s humanitarian work in Nepal.

Hero eye doctor

Hero eye doctor

Professor Fred Hollows saved the sight of thousands of underprivileged people.

South Auckland heroes

South Auckland heroes

Police acknowledge heroes in the community.

Unsung heroes

Caitlin Smith speaks to parents of children with disabilities.

Two gallant firemen die in a fire on Broadway, New York in 1880.

Hero rats

Rats detect landmines and determine tuberculosis.

Science heroes ‘coming’

Top science bosses are predicting that in the decades to come, science superstars could sit alongside All Blacks and actors.

Hero stories of New Zealand

Short heroic stories from 1935.

Quake heroes remembered

Quake heroes remembered

Acts of bravery from the Canterbury quake.

Two women receive Courage Medals for their duty in 1941.

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman Louise Sutherland cycles the globe.

Fireman Sam and Captain America

Fireman Sam and Captain America

Heroes and Villains Day at Central Library Peterborough. Saturday 25 June 2016. File Reference: 2016-06-25-IMG_2137 From the collection of Christchurch City Libraries

Batman Arkham Knight

Batman Arkham Knight

Review of the video game Batman Arkham Knight.

Skankenstein

Martial arts, levitating heroes and mysterious asteroids all feature in this animated mini-epic. The superhero stylings meld well with this keyboard-driven Kora track, which has been sweetened with...

Geek girl superhero

Founder of Australian Tech Girl Superhero encourages girls to join IT workforce.

Superlamb can save me!

Superlamb can save me!

Superlamb to the rescue of the New Zealand economy.

Lapwing

Lapwing and Mousegirl join camp to take on evil Dr Curem.

Safety with 'Buzz' Bridges

Safety with 'Buzz' Bridges

Minister of Energy, Simon Bridges cautions a little girl about the use of electricity.

Phantom

The very first costumed superhero.

Popeye

Popeye the Sailor Man gained superhuman strength eating spinach.

Supergirl and Mount Taranaki

Supergirl and Mount Taranaki

Inkjet print of original Graham Kirk painting "Supergirl and Mount Taranaki". It depicts Supergirl, the female counterpart to Superman, crouched in a lush green landscape with Mount Taranaki in the...

Taranga

In 1982 Robyn Kahukiwa, of Ngati Porou, Te Aitangaa-Hauiti, Ngati Konohi and Te Whanui-o-Ruataupare descent, was awarded a Maori and South Pacific Arts Council grant to undertake a series of painti...

Māori Heroes

A set featuring Māori heroes over the ages.

The story of John Pohe

The story of John Pohe

The story of John Pohe, Maori fighter pilot and war hero who was part of the Great Escape is now the subject of a graphic novel for children.

Von Tempsky's ghost

Von Tempsky's ghost

Mike King presents the story of Gustavus Von Tempsky: swashbuckling colonial soldier of fortune, "flamboyant folk hero" and "our first pin up boy". The Prussian-born artist, self-promoter, romantic...

Sam Chapman: local hero

Sam Chapman: local hero

Haami (Sam) Tutu Chapman is a youth and community worker based in Otara, Auckland.

Māori leaders and heroes

Māori leaders and heroes

There are many past and present Māori leaders and Māori heroes whose achievements and special qualities make them stand out.

Get involved in the conversation

Get involved in the conversation

This woolly hero medal was made on the anniversary of the 4thof September 2010 earthquake.

Charles Upham

The title page of the biography of Charles Upham, Mark of the lion, portrayed him, not as a soldier where he achieved his fame, but at home on his farm in New Zealand. The implication was that Upha...

Bravery awards system

Bravery awards system in New Zealand.

Marvel universe Kiwi superhero

Kiwi Black was the mutant son of Azazel.

Real life superpowers

How far are we from real-life superpowers?

Fun facts about superheroes.

"Superheroes" by The Script from No Sound Without Silence

Unappreciated animal heroes

Celebrating the roles of some undervalued animals in children’s literature.

Fantastic characters

Lesson plan on analysing and creating superheroes and villains.

Malala Yousafzai

Featuring Malala Yousafzai, the girl who got shot for standing up for women’s rights.

The hero project

Searching for universal characteristics of heroes in mythology.

Marvel superheroes

Introduction to the heroes, teams and bad guys of Marvel.

Superhero costume ideas

DIY superhero costumes to make at home.

Heroes in our community

Lesson plan on heroes in our community.

New Zealand gallantry and bravery awards

Eight gallantry and bravery awards instituted in New Zealand in 1999.

World humanitarian day

The need for more humanitarian heroes.

Heroes of young Kiwis today

Your Weekend interviews school kids to name their heroes.

Marvel characters

Who’s who in Detective Comic land.

Real life heroes

Videos of Real Life Heroes and their contributions to society.

Tribute to a WW1 hero

A grandson’s tribute to a World War 1 hero.

Short stories about four animals that saved lives.

Heroes from children’s literature

Fun kid heroes from children’s books over time.

Meet the heroes

Children uncover their passion to make the world a better place.

What is a hero?

Explore ideas related to heroism.

Five unsung heroes

Pioneers, campaigners and activists who did not make history for various reasons.

Human rights heroes

A gallery of human rights heroes who fought to make a difference.

Types of heroes

Slideshare on archetypal heroes.

50 best movie heroines of all time

Directory of stories

Hero stories from different walks of life.

10 greatest New Zealanders

10 great people according to the New Zealand Herald.

Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu

Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu

Ngarimu joined the army in February 1940. He soon became second lieutenant and platoon leader in the Māori Battalion.

Local heroes

Kate Sheppard and Kristine Bartlett are the two heroes in this image. Kate Sheppard led the fight for women’s suffrage in New Zealand. As a result the Electoral Act 1893 was passed in both houses o...

Bulked up on Greens

Bulked up on Greens

Prime Minister John Key looks worriedly at a looming, green Hulk, an American superhero. The Incredible Hulk symbolises Labour leader Andrew Little and his coalition with the Green Party.

Bomb Disposal Unit

Bomb Disposal Unit

A huge German bomb was found near St Paul’s Cathedral in London during the Blitz of World War 2. Lieutenant Robert Davies and his bomb disposal unit were summoned to dispose of it. After removing t...

Victoria Cross

In 1854 the British House of Commons decided that Queen Victoria should create a medal for distinguished and personal gallantry. This medal could be awarded to any individual from any part of society.

Heroes of the Dardanelles

Heroes of the Dardanelles

The Dardanelles is an English name for a narrow strait of water between Asian Turkey and European Turkey. In March 1915 during World War 1, British and French forces (the Allies) launched an attack...

Bravery Award of the Week

Bravery Award of the Week

This caricature shows three policemen in the local police canteen having coffee and reading a newspaper. On the wall above them is a poster with a photograph of a ticketing officer who has been pre...

Superman returns

Superman returns

Superman is about to enter a cinema to watch a film called ‘Superman Returns.’ The family outside does not think this is a good use of his time and that he should be helping people in Afghanistan, ...

Charles Hazlitt Upham

Charles Hazlitt Upham

Charles Upham joined the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force soon after World War 2 began. He was one of only three people to have been awarded the Victoria Cross twice for bravery.

Simpson and the donkey

Simpson and the donkey

This photograph taken by Sergeant James Gardiner Jackson gave Sapper Horace Moore-Jones the idea to paint the famous picture of ‘The Man with the Donkey.’