Current research into, and definitions of, historical literacy do not adequately acknowledge the cultural backgrounds of indigenous learners across the historical disciplines and levels. Nor do they recognise the vital role of historical literacy in empowering indigenous students. In conversations with teachers of a range of ethnicities and Maori and Pasifika students from across the historical disciplines, we asked: how can teachers inspire indigenous students to feel at home in the historical disciplines, do well in them and make them their own? The teachers and students saw historical literacy as predominantly textual in nature, and critical historical literacy as often culturally alien to Maori and Pasifika students. The teachers revealed that what worked to foster critical historical literacy in Maori and Pasifika students was multimodal performance. Accordingly, we argue that pedagogy in the historical disciplines that sustains Maori and Pasifika students culturally enables them to "perform" their culture through historical literacy -- and, thus, to see history (both history per se and their histories) as open to their knowledge, critique and ownership.