Pakeha Maori: The extraordinary story of the Europeans who lived as Maori in early New Zealand

by Trevor Bentley

A look at one of the great untold stories in New Zealand history. This fascinating story is illustrated with many early sketches and photographs.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

270 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 1999

Reviews

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most NZ histories that I’ve read begin at 1840 with the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and make only passing mention of ‘Europeans’ who had contact/lived amongst Maori before then. This book fleshes out that fleeting reference with stories of Pakeha who, for myriad reasons, were absorbed into the sphere of Maoridom in the early 1800s.

The book itself is much like a raw academic thesis and could use a little extra editing. Primary material is sometimes repeated verbatim in multiple different sections. But on the whole you get a solid impression of how pre-settler Europeans and Maori interacted.

Definitely worth reading if you have an interest in New Zealand History, or colonialism in general.

[Angelique Simonsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book. Full of interesting information and accounts

[Bryce Galloway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m picking this book back up after reading the first 116 pages many years ago, so really, this will just be a review of the second half. All I remember from the first half are the broad strokes of some runaway Pākehā being adopted my various hapū, sometimes even working their way into the higher ranks of Māori society. I recall that some of these Pākehā worked as translators and negotiators, also offering intel (cultural/economic translation) on the ways of these newcomers from Europe.
P132 Suggests that Pākehā Māori counselled the chiefs against signing Te Tiriti o Waitangi - ‘They will take your lands and make you slaves.’ However, in some cases this counsel had ulterior motives as some Pākehā Māori sought to escape colonial regulations and enjoy the spoils of Māori trade they’d secured for themselves.
A lot has changed since 1999 when this book was published. Writers use macrons when using as many Māori words as Bentley employs here, knowing that to not do so is not only half-arsed but nonsensical. Contemporary writers have also learnt the term ‘half-caste’ is, er… a bit racist. Bentley does at least acknowledge the errors in Te Tiriti o Waitangi brought about by the limited fluency of the Williams’ translation.
It's an interesting read to consider the Pākehā Māori adopted by hapū, given moko to mark their allegiance/ownership, the rise in status when it became apparent that having a Pākehā Māori in the hapū was to have a middleman for trade negotiations (including muskets) and access to greater knowledge of the new technologies and the new markets. But there’s still a whiff of the dusty ol’ Boys’ Own Adventure stories of gentleman’s capers with the wild natives of New Zealand. I have to counsel myself and wonder if this might have been a buried motivation for picking this book up in the first place, ugh!
Then on page 26 Bentley claims that ‘…racial intermixing enriched rather than diminished Maori culture and society.’ Even though the next paragraph acknowledges that the offspring of Pākehā Māori union ‘…blended into European society with relative ease, for the colonists generally considered them mentally and physically superior to Maori…’
An interesting book but one that’s not particularly reflexive about its own paradoxicalities, or am I just projecting 2021 cultural sensitivities onto a book from 1999, or both?

[Robbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great research on early non-missionary settlers to New Zealand from all around the world and the problems they faced & overcame (or not!) There were a lot of drawings & photos but the book could have done with a few more maps to show where people we located. Also in parts there was just too many names & dates making it hard to follow. That said, I did read the whole book in one day, so it can't have been too bad!

[Jimmylanyard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even if some of its language has dated a bit in the last couple of decades, this is a very effective and all-encompassing look at a too-often overlooked period of NZ history.

[Mikaira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful, interesting perspective and informative. Enjoyed this book.