Part 2

Missionaries

• 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

First Missionaries

• 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

Early Missionaries cont’d

• 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

Samuel Marsden

• 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

Thomas Kendall

• Developed some knowledge of Maori• 1816-18 school at Rangihoua but it failed

through lack of supplies• 1820 publisheda grammar ofNZ 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

Rev Henry Williams

• 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

Rev Henry Williams cont’d

• 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

Other Denominations

• 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

Catholics

• Bishop Pompallier from France in 1838

• Mission established at Kororareka• Pompallier tall and had impact and presence• Lernt English and Maori• Travelled extensively• Too late to have much influence as Maori turned

away from Christianity in 1840s

Closer in 1830s

• Pace of acculturation increased

• Maori and Pakeha more dependent on each other

• NZ became closer to Britain and outside world

Acculturation• 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

Maori and Christianity

• 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

Acceptance

• 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

Maori Conversion

• 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

Nature of Conversion

• 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’.

Papahurihia

• 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

Wiremu Tamihana

• 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 coexistance• Established new christian village – Te Tapiri and

Peria• 1840s also lead people in establishing farming,

teaching and maintaining justice

Late 1830s

• 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

British Representative

• 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

Busby’s Failure

• 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.

Pressures

• 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

British Actions

• 1837 Busby suggetsed a British protectorate for NZ

• 1837 Hobson suggetsed 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

Fcators Influencing Increased British 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

Decision

• 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.

References

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