The Meeting Place - A New Zealand History Blog

A new book published last month as part of Manchester University Press’s Studies in Imperialism series explores the many connections between European monarchies and their overseas colonies. Crowns and Colonies: European Monarchies and Overseas Empires is edited by Robert Aldrich and Cindy McCreery and draws in many cases on papers presented at a conference on the same theme held at the University of Sydney in June 2014. I presented a paper at that conference on the historical relationship between the Kīngitanga and the British royal family and a revised version of this appears in Crowns and Colonies . The following synopsis sets out some of the key themes explored in my chapter. In December 1953 Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to meet with a Māori monarch when she travelled to Tūrangawaewae. King Koroki (right) and Princess Piki, the future Te Arikinui Dame Te Ātairangikaahu (left), welcome the British visitors on to the marae. http://www.teara.govt.nz/en...

Following Prince Harry’s recent visit to the Whanganui region, where he met with local iwi representatives (and impressed Tariana Turia ), much older connections between local Māori and the British royal family are worth remembering. In my recently-published book Haerenga: Early Māori Journeys Across the Globe I tell the story of Whanganui chief Hoani Wiremu Hipango, known to many Europeans as John Williams. In 1855 Hipango accompanied the Whanganui-based missionary Richard Taylor on a journey to England. During the course of his stay, the young Whanganui leader and Taylor met with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Buckingham Palace. Hoani Wiremu Hipango (right), with Richard Taylor (seated) and his son Basil, PAColl-5185, ATL Hipango presented the Queen with a prized pounamu weapon, a large cloak made of kiwi feathers, and other items. Victoria took a great interest in the gifts and assured Hipango that she had the welfare of the Māori people in her heart. ...

The importance of the Treaty of Waitangi to Maori is reflected in their strong interest in meeting with the person of the Crown; their Treaty partner. This was reflected in the sending of various Maori delegations to London to seek an audience with the monarch, but in the early twentieth century there were two opportunities for Maori to welcome royal visitors to their own country. In 1901 the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (the Duke being the second son of Edward VII) toured New Zealand. The focus for Maori was on the royal visit to Rotorua, with thousands from iwi all over the country (except Tainui Kingitanga) organising a Maori welcome and cultural display. Next was a post-war tour by the Prince of Wales (Prince Edward, son of George V) in 1920. The Rotorua leg of the tour was again the focus for Maori, featuring a warm welcome from thousands of Maori, followed by an enormous Maori pageant.  Te Arawa haka at Rotorua during the 1901 royal tour (PA1-f-064-03, ATL) 1...

Hone Heke was a man of his word. He had promised the governor he would put up a new flagstaff on Maiki Hill after felling the old one in July 1844. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t chop it down again if necessary. And again, and again. Down she came. For the fourth time. It was March 1845. Heke Fells the Flagstaff at Kororareka, A-004-037, ATL Pandemonium ensued. A smoker dropped ash on some kegs of gunpowder, causing the whole magazine to blow. Heke had no truck with the settlers. His warriors even helped some of them flee town. But now it was too late to go back. It was a question of mana. Kororareka. The Hell-hole of the Pacific, they reckoned. Today it is refined, posh Russell. But the past lingers everywhere. It’s like a living museum. The British never did re-erect their flagstaff. Maori did it instead, in 1858. They had made their point. The flagstaff would be a token of reconciliation, not a symbol of sovereignty. They called it ‘Te Whakakotahitanga’, t...