Healing Our History: The Challenge of the Treaty of Waitangi

by Robert Consedine

An educational book for Pakeha about Pakeha identity, racism and the Treaty of Waitangi.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Justin Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should be read by all literate white Kiwis. Especially the chapter on White Privilege. Go on, I dare you to get informed.

[Tom Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a shame that the featured review under this book comes from someone who hasn't even read it.
The drivel and senseless ramblings of someone who is (quite clearly) a superior being of the pale pigment is the perfect reiteration of exactly why this book needs to be read.
Robert Consedine does a fantastic job of summarising the importance of understanding and respecting another's culture, whilst being able to maintain one's own.
I was clueless before I read this, utterly clueless. Like the writer of the not-review at the top of the page, I had no idea how ignorant and uneducated I was in matters relating to our (Pakeha) relationship with Maori, Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) and the history of our colonisation.
I'm still clueless really, but it already seems laughable that such bold claims about what's best for another culture, how assimilating cultures and standing under one banner continue to be the popular belief as the way forward by the NZ majority (the majority, of course, being Pakeha).
This book isn't about shaming or stirring up guilt, it's simply about the process of healing that New Zealand needs to take in order for everybody to move forward as one.
This story is about why heading in the same direction whilst maintaining distinct cultural differences is not only the best approach to multiculturalism, but possibly the only effective approach.
This book has not only opened my eyes but inspired me to seek out more information on the topic. It is not and ends but the prying open of a trove of information to be sought in order to understand our history better as New Zealanders.

[Jacob Petrossian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really well rounded book explaining parallels in history of New Zealand, Australia and Canada - especially in regards to the effects of colonisation on the indigenous population.

A must read for all New Zealanders.

[Duncan G Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the history of the Treaty of Waitangi, and the challenges its present to contemporary New Zealand. Learnt more from this book than from my primary school education. Very interesting chapter about religion and colonialisation.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every NZer should read this book.

[Rachel Horwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, every Kiwi should read. Relevant for understanding the impact of colonization around the world

[Andy Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

At the preface of the book is an introduction where context is cited as being crucial to the telling of history . Yet ironically this book completely misses the mark as there is no dialogue on what life was like for Maori , pre signing of the Treaty - slavery, inter tribal warring, female infanticide and cannibalism, certainly no idyllic paradise - only by acknowledging all that went before can we then truly have full context..

After the signing these brutal conducts disappeared as they became illegal under Crown law. Yes there were land and other issues but overall colonialism brought great benefit to Maori , yet this book dismisses it all. You can only 'heal' something if the whole picture of what went before is acknowledged through openness and honesty - instead old wounds are opened and the message being promoted is one of live your life in perpetual victim-hood , sadly enslaving Maori to a grievance industry profited by the elite few separatist leaders of tribalism . There is no future for Maori in this, except for those hypocrites that profit immensely from the conflict generation process .

Reading the book i get a strong sense that the grievances the author personally had from his early life wrt Irish hostilities have clouded his view with the differing situation of that existing between Maori and British. Consequently everything more or less is told from a negative viewpoint.
Their is a strong Marxist like SJW component in regard to his writing ,no advocacy for taking personal responsibility for ones misfortunes caused by wrong choices, which is in sharp contrast to references to his Catholic faith.

Overall a disappointing read.

[Rajiv Sondhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first exposure to a detailed history of the history associated with colonization of New Zealand and the pain and injustice experienced by the indigenous Maori community. This has been very well documented in this book. I found this informative. However, I thought there was excessive material on the methodologies adopted by the writer and his teams at workshops to spread the knowledge on the history. It would have been more interesting to read about the substantive themes and issues that emerged at these workshops, and how that could inform the debate. Secondly, I was looking forward to more discussion on how to move beyond the debate about the Treaty injustice, to enable integration of Maori thinking and ways of life into the country. That would have completed the picture nicely, in a forward looking way. Finally, despite the writer's contrary stance, brief descriptions on how indigenous populations elsewhere have been 'mis'-treated, the book leaves me with the impression that in fact Maori peoples have been treated better with more opportunities in NZ than in other ex-colonial nations (i.e. US, Australia). There is more work to be done, surely, and that will need more work by both groups I imagine.

[Erin Grigson Baylis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me a while to read, but was so worth it.
I have learned so much about the history of New Zealand and the Treaty of Waitangi and its implications in the past and today.
I would implore any New Zealander (or anyone looking to understand the plight of indigenous people) to read this book. It's long, and arduous at times, but so worth it.
9/10 for all the research and time and work put into this book!

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be compulsory reading in the schools of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Understanding where you came from and your family history makes you face the history of others. Once again the horrifying effects of colonialism on indigenous peoples is laid out. Confronting but encouraging. Thank you Robert and Joanna Consedine.

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book - well worth reading.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

possibly the best book I have read on understanding Treaty of Waitangi. acknowledging our history and honouring all histories