Two histories of Māori have just been published – one is new, and one is a reprint. But both are worth having!
Huia Histories of Māori has been reprinted in December 2024, published by Huia Publishers, Wellington.
The book is edited by Dr Danny Keenan and contains chapters on Aotearoa’s history written by Māori scholars, historians and writers including Eddie Durie, Mason Durie, Brad Haami, Margaret Mutu, Buddy Mikaere, Maria Bargh, Hana O’Regan, Rawiri Taonui, Aroha Harris and Teurikore Biddle.
This volume was first published in 2012. But in the ensuing twelve years, it has lost none of its significance or relevance, speaking directly to these uncertain times dominated by Treaty Principles under attack, the undermining of well-established norms of co-governance, and ever-changing school history curriculums.
The book is structured as a chronological history of New Zealand, generally speaking. Each author covers a select time period, presented in sequence, though each author also imbues their contribution with distinct and pertinent aspects of Māori knowledge, perspective, scholarship and history.
The volume commences in the pre-contact era governed by Maori custom law (Eddie Durie) through to the recent advent of the Māori Party and ensuing era of new Māori politics (Maria Bargh). Interposed are essays of a more thematic nature, like Māori health transitions (Mason Durie), the continuing potency of cultural performance (Teurikore Biddle), the increasing relevance of te reo (Hana O’Regan) and international Indigenous contexts (Brendon Hokowhitu).
A second volume of Māori historical essays has also been published in December 2024, entitled Maranga! Maranga! Maranga!
This book was edited by Māori historians Dr Aroha Harris and Dr Melissa Matutina Williams, and has been published by Bridget Williams Books, Wellington.
This fascinating and interesting publication contains essays by Māori historians including Basil Keane, Te Ahukaramu Charles Royal, Te Maire Tau, Nepia Mahuika, Tiopira McDowell, Megan Potiki, Rachel Buchanan and Danny Keenan. The essays are drawn from the Te Pouhere Korero Journal, which is the journal of Te Pouhere Korero, a collective of Māori historians established in 1992.
The New Zealand Herald / Gisborne Herald recently published an interesting artcle on Maranga! Maranga! Maranga!, highlighting the importance of this new publication.
Inaugural issue of Te Pouhere Kokorero Journal, March 1999, launched at Māori Historians Hui at Te Wananga o Raukawa, Otaki, April 1999.
Inaugural issue of Te Pouhere Journal signed by Māori historians present when launched.