New Books: Pākehā-Māori Narratives, by Trevor Bentley

This book is a collection of 20 first-hand accounts written or dictated by European men who voluntarily crossed cultures to live and trade among the Māori tribes of New Zealand during the 1800s. Valued conduits to prized flintlock muskets, munitions and general trade goods, they were soon firmly integrated into the communities of their hosts, becoming in the process, a distinctive hybrid class, recognised and described by both cultures as Pākehā Māori.

The narratives cast light on the cultural adaptations made by these entrepreneurial adventurers, their place in tribal hierarchies and their relationships with rangatira, tohunga and tribe. More importantly, they provide valuable eyewitness accounts of Te Ao Māori (the world of Māori), particularly their social order, beliefs, values and customary practices in times of peace and war. Packed with drama and action, the narratives create a vivid picture of Maori and Pakeha interactions during the 1800s.

With notes that provide biographical, historical and cultural context, the anthology reveals how important Pākehā Māori were in shaping early race relations. Many thousands of New Zealanders, both Māori and Pākehā living today are the descendants of these bicultural mediators of meaning. Of interest to Bay of Plenty readers will be the narrative of the Maketu based trader Phillip Tapsell, who, along with his flax agents and sailing vessels, was active at Tauranga, during and beyond the 1830s.

A member of the Tauranga Historical Society, Trevor regularly contributes illustrated articles under the headings: ‘Early Vessels and Visitors to Tauranga’ and ‘Early Tauranga Traders’. He has a long-standing interest in the interaction of Māori and Pākehā in 19th century New Zealand. His primary interest is the Europeans who entered Māori tribal societies voluntarily or as captives. This is Dr Bentley’s eighth book to explore this subject and era.

Trevor's current research and writing project is a Copyright Licencing New Zealand funded history to be published under the title ‘Te Kaewa –The Wanderers: Māori Sailors on EuroAmerican Ships, 1790s- 1890’.