Part 2

• Were more important than other Europeans in race relations
• Needed cooperation of Maori as did others, but
• Usually Missionaries came to stay
• They sought to change Maori life and society
• Humanitarian and missionary organisations influenced governemnt policy in Britain
• Attempts to convert ‘heathens’ were part of overall Christian renewal in Britain

• From Church Missionary
Society
• 1814 Marsden brought lay missionaries to
Rangihoua in Bay of Islands.
• To encourage a spirit of trade
• Through trade bring Maori to Christianity
• Expected to set moral example
• Not usually interested in trying to understand
Maori culture

• Initially poor conditions and relied on Maori to survive
• Dominated by local Maori to start with
• Achieved little as missionaries of Christian faith
• Presence added to existing interaction between Maori and Pakeha
• Interdenominational rivalry puzzled Maori

• A Chaplain, magistrate and landowner in NSW
• Met a number of Maori including
Te Pahi (1805) in Sydney
• Considered Maori potential Christians
• 1807 asked Church Missionary Society to sponsor mission to NZ
• Became Society’s chief agent in South pacific
• NZ delayed until 1814 – Boyd incident
• Visited NZ 7 times to keep missions going

• Developed some knowledge of Maori
• 1816-18 school at Rangihoua but it failed through lack of supplies
• 1820 publisheda grammar of NZ language
• Tried to understand Maori concepts and symbolism
• Evangelical, temper, sense of sin – fell out with other missionaries
• Had a sexual liaison with a Maori servant and former pupil

• 1823 arrived in Bay of Islands
• Influenced CMS and its relations with Maori
• 1830s missionaries all around North
Island
• Ex-naval officer and strong leader and energy
• Aquired mana for himself and missionaries

• Williams related well to Maori leaders and was not intimidated by them
• Used spiritual teaching rather than civilisation to convert
• Re-established schooling for Maori children
• Reduced missionaries involvment in trade
• Encouraged missionaries to speak Maori

• Weslyans at head of Whangaroa Harbour
1823-27.
• Initially Maori dominated Weslyans insisting on trade rather than teaching
• Mission sacked 1827 – Weslyans fled
• Rebuilt Mangungu at Hokianga under protection of Patuone and Waka Nene

• Bishop Pompallier from France in 1838
• Mission established at Kororareka
• Pompallier tall and had impact and presence
• Learnt English and Maori
• Travelled extensively
• Too late to have much influence as Maori turned away from Christianity in 1840s

• Pace of acculturation increased
• Maori and Pakeha more dependent on each other
• NZ became closer to Britain and outside world

• Maori became more afflicted with European diseases
• Maori began to adopt Christianity
• Took up alcohol and tobacco
• Increasing number of Europeans-2000 by 1840 approx
• Most interaction in North of North Island
• More ships visiting (Bay of Islands had 24 per year in 1820s to 137 per year between 1834-29)
• More indirect contact away from northern North
Island

• 1830s - thousands of Maori accepted
Christianity
• Maori saw no conflict between accepting
Christianity and continuing traditional formds of religious activity
• Most conversion from Maori evangelists rather than missionaries
• First Maori conversions were slaves

• Mid-1830s most missionaries spoke Maori
• William Williams had translated whole of
New Testament to Maori
• Common Prayer book translated by 1837
• Colenso printed first Maori new
Testaments Dec. 1837
• Written word gave Maori access to
European knowledge

• For desire for links with Pakeha and access to goods such as arms
• Adaptations of Christianity
• Interpretations of Maori teachers
• Access to European power
• Missionaries offered way of coping with disease
• More effective missionary methods
• Intellectual curiosity
• Means of ending warfare
• Appeal of literacy
• Some acceptance of Western dominance

• Did not turn Maori into ‘brown Europeans’ overnight
• Maori stimulated by biblical ideas but still held to traditional beliefs
• Maori identified with Jews but also saw Jesus as offering hope for the future
• Literacy acquired was of Te Reo but Maori also began to need English
• Maori adapted christianity -’adjustment cults’.

• A Ngai tahu tohunga developed Maori religious movement in 1830s based on
Maori beliefs and biblical teachings
• Name of god worshiped was Papahurihia
• Followers called Hurai (Jews)
• Observed Sabbath on Saturday
• Opposed Protestant missionaries

• Of Ngati Haua and a Maori leader influenced by a CMS missionary
• 1830s- directed his tribe towards Christianity
• Had mana of his father and own deeds
• Saw Christian god as more powerful than Maori
Atua – agreed with co-existance
• Established new christian village – Te Tapiri and
Peria
• 1840s also lead people in establishing farming, teaching and maintaining justice

• European settlement had more impact on Maori relations in North
• By late 1830s most Maori impacted by
Europeans
• Missionaries encouraged Maori to look to Britain as their protector
• From 1826 a British naval ship visited from NSW regularly
• Missionaries developed power because of faith and were seen as represenatives of British

• Busby appointed 1833
• Waitangi Maori gathering 1834 Busby asked chiefs to select a flag
• 28 Oct 1825 Busby encouraged chiefs to sign a Declaration of Independence
• British governemnt recognised Declaration and independence of Maori
• Protection extended to Maori

• Tribal rivalry, competition and war
• Inability to introuce British authority
• Any more steps would have to be more formal before settlement
• Change of British view from one that accomodated Europeans in NZ to one that accomodated Maori.

• Lawless Europeans in North
• Mutual dependence broken down by increased numbers of Europeans
• Maori still wanted more trade and access to
Europeans
• Missionaries wanted to protect Maori from
Lawlessness
• British traders petitioned for more control and enforce peace
• Exagerated reports of unrest sent to Britain
• CMS agitated for British control to protect Maori

• 1837 Busby suggested a British protectorate for
NZ
• 1837 Hobson suggested not a full takeover but more involvment and negotiation
• British government considered a charter but idea rejected
• Genuine concerns for Maori but no idea of how to protect them from unscrupulous Europeans
• Unwilling to expend money on any involvement

• French and US becoming more interested in NZ
• Shonky land deals
• NZ Company sought to establish colonies whether Britain involved or not
• British governemnt changed in 1839 and so new policy
• ‘ Tory ’ left in 1839 followed by 6 emigrant ships
The Tory

• British government decided on formal intervention
• No consultation with Maori
• July-August 1839 Limited intervention decided upon to control settlers and protect Maori
• Treaty needed as Britain had already accepted
Maori sovereignty and independence under the
Declaration of Independence in 1835.

• Based on Graham Langton, (2005) Pre-
1840 Maori/Pakeha Relations in Year 13 –
New Zealand in the 19 th Century .
Auckland: ESA Publications. pp. 55-64

• Based on Graham Langton, (2005) Pre-
1840 Maori/Pakeha Relations in Year 13 –
New Zealand in the 19 th Century .
Auckland: ESA Publications. pp.55-64