Iwi: The dynamics of Māori tribal organisation from c.1769 to c.1945

by Angela Ballara

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Bailey Masters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very dry. Very dense. Excellent history.

[Jack Turpitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book clearly illustrates the various social structures in Māori society, stepping through how these structures have evolved over the last ~300 years. It explains how these structures were misunderstood by pakeha, who often tried to strictly categorise Māori into a rigid hierarchy that didn’t necessarily exist.

For me, the importance of this book is in the argument that the bureaucracy of the colonial government in combination with these pakeha misunderstandings actually had a hand in reshaping Māori society into its modern form in a kind of self fulfilling prophecy.

[Josh Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, detailed overview of Maori political structure -- groundbreaking and relevant for indigenous scholars outside Aotearoa. Very detailed in places, thereby demonstrating her assertions.