Ngāi Tahu Historiography

AbstractThis article outlines the trajectory of historical writing about Ngāi Tahu, the predominant Māori tribe of New Zealand's South Island. It is argued that the predominant concern of the literature has revolved around colonialism and colonisation, and within this, colonial practices of land alienation has been the preoccupation. These historic injustices have been acknowledged by the New Zealand government in a full and final settlement with Ngāi Tahu signed in 1999. With the resolution of the Ngāi Tahu land claim, the scholarship about colonialism can now be opened up to a definition that extends beyond colonial power and authority, to consider the multiple and diverse responses to encounter throughout the nineteenth century and beyond. This article argues for a revision of colonialism and encounter in Ngāi Tahu territory, which unites intimate experiences with colonial practices and policies. A focus on interracial marriage offers an opportunity to begin this revision.