New Zealand History

The Ancient Footpath from Otepoti-Dunedin to Moeraki

A portion of the ancient Maori footpath out of Otepoti-Dunedin shown (the dotted line to the left) on Thomson’s 1857 map. I have cropped this from: R10302722. ‘Reconnaissance Survey of Otago Province - North Eastern Districts’ - John Turnbull Thomson, Chief Surveyor (1857). Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Wellington. (CC BY 2.0).

How old is the oldest cultural feature on Aotearoa-New Zealand? Imagine being around when the only way to get anywhere was to walk or take a waka (canoe). That was New Zealand in pre-European times – there were no pack animals. When settlers arrived in what was to become Dunedin, in 1848, there was no… Continue reading The Ancient Footpath from Otepoti-Dunedin to Moeraki

Moa ate kōwhai

Moa skull with kowhai foliage

A little over 700 years ago, humans finally discovered the last habitable place on Earth, Aotearoa-New Zealand (Wilmshurst et al., 2011; Mulrooney et a;, 2011; Bunbury et al., 2022). They found a land where large flightless birds (including the now-extinct moa) abounded, and even the driest parts were covered in forest. Neither lasted long. The… Continue reading Moa ate kōwhai

Flax/Harakeke – New Zealand’s Resource Curse

New Zealand flax - red flowers in the foreground, and the fibrous leaves behind. Image: Mike Pole.

The Musket Wars? Shortly after Europeans began operating in Aotearoa-New Zealand (c. 1807-1837), a series of conflicts among the indigenous Maori dramatically escalated. I had a vague knowledge that the fighting had a devastating impact, but only when I read Chris Trotter’s (2007) ‘No Left Turn’, did the scale sink in. Of that fighting, he… Continue reading Flax/Harakeke – New Zealand’s Resource Curse