The Meeting Place: Maori and Pakeha Encounters, 1642-1840

by Vincent O'Malley

An account focusing on the encounters between the Maori and Pakeha—or European settlers—and the process of mutual discovery from 1642 to around 1840, this New Zealand history book argues that both groups inhabited a middle ground in which neither could dictate the political, economic, or cultural rules of engagement. By looking at economic, religious, political, and sexual encounters, it offers a strikingly different picture to traditional accounts of imperial Pakeha power over a static, resistant Maori society. With fresh insights, this book examines why mostly beneficial interactions between these two cultures began to merge and the reasons for their subsequent demise after 1840.

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 2012

About the author

Vincent O'Malley is a New Zealand historian who has written extensively on the history of Maori and Pakeha (European) relations in that country. He hold BA (Hons) and PhD degrees from the University of Canterbury and Victoria University of Wellington respectively and is a partner in HistoryWorks, a Wellington-based historical research consultancy that specialises in the Treaty of Waitangi.

His books include The New Zealand Wars/Ngā Pakanga o Aotearoa (BWB, 2019), The Great War for New Zealand: Waikato 1800-2000 (BWB, 2016), Haerenga: Early Maori Journeys Across the Globe (BWB, 2015), Beyond the Imperial Frontier: The Contest for Colonial New Zealand (BWB, 2014), The Meeting Place: Maori and Pakeha Encounters, 1642-1840 (AUP, 2012, NZ Post Book Awards finalist, 2013), The Treaty of Waitangi Companion: Maori and Pakeha From Tasman to Today (with Bruce Stirling and Wally Penetito) (AUP, 2010), The Beating Heart: A Political and Socio-Economic History of Te Arawa (with David Armstrong) (Huia, 2008), and Agents of Autonomy: Maori Committees in the Nineteenth Century (Huia, 1998).

Reviews

[Simon Mee · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable precis of Maori-Pakeha relations pre-Treaty of Waitangi, particularly during the missionary period from about 1820 onwards, once everyone got over the slightly unfortunate incident with the Boyd. O’Malley makes a good point about the reliance on missionary sources, painfully pious, repetitious, seemingly devoid of real insight at times, though the entry of the French allowed more detail about sexual relations, as they had no qualms at all (at least as to the recording of it).

You should treat it as high level overview, as there is a shortage of detailed stories (which I think is because of the breadth of material).  The main point is that there was a grey zone of each side working out the boundaries of acceptable behaviour along with what things to adopt (be they pigs, tools or religion) or how much power had to be conceded (and for the Europeans at the time, apparently alot).  In terms of the first explorations, there are some interesting points that the Dutch, British and French captains blundered even by the standards of their time, including in the case of the British, ignoring express instructions to avoid conflict.

I don’t know how it impacts our conception of New Zealand history – it feels like a tidying up of the details rather than a complete reconception of things – but it is still worthwhile to expand a local’s mind.

[Geoff Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this read Vincent O'Malley knows his craft and certainly made me reflect on what I thought I knew about this period in NZ history
Probably a very relevant read in this current political climate
Thought provoking and should be recommended reading for college age students.
Which I had read this ages okay it would have reshaped my views on Aotearoa and the early days of the European landings

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I read of this was absolutely fantastic so incredibly fascinating.

It has opened my eyes to much I was ignorantly unaware of.

Unfortunately I had to get it back to the library but my husband has bought me a similar book that pulls in much that is written here for Christmas so onwards with my learning.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read and food for thought.

[Robbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book, easy to read (which unfortunately is somewhat of a rarity for historical non-fiction), and with some interesting insights.

[Josh Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent coverage of Aotearoa's encounter period