# Preservation and Destruction: the story of Elsdon Best (Part 1)

An episode of [Black Sheep](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1163907594), 12 Feb 2026, 38 min.

Audio: https://flex.acast.com/media.rnztools.nz/rnz-kete-oro-prod/video/private/ac_mp3,af_48000,br_192k,f_mp3,fl_attachment/v1770867698/audio/bsheep/bsheep-20260213-0500-black_sheep_s9_elsdon_best_part_1.mp3

Described in his own time as "the white Tōhunga of Tuhoeland" and by some today as a "structural rascist" who "stole" knowledge, it's fair to say Elsdon Best is a controvesial character. In the first of a two part episode, Black Sheep traces the early life of this self-taught ethnologist. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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