Abstract
There are many written sources in te reo Māori (the Māori language) from the 19th century in
the archival record, governmental records, and other sources that make up a unique body of te
reo Māori historical sources. These come from both Pākehā and Māori authors, which are of
different historical significance. Te reo Māori sources from Māori authors gives an insight into
their perspectives and their understanding of the conflict in a uniquely intimate and unfiltered
way, as well as an insight into their emotions of the time. From Pākehā authors, te reo Māori
sources give an insight into the messaging and propaganda utilised to delegitimise Māori
deemed in rebellion, and an insight into how they hoped to portray their enemies to other Māori.
These sources have largely been un-used or underutilised in the scholarship for the New
Zealand Wars of 1843-1872, which has meant that the narratives in these sources have largely
gone unexplored. This thesis will examine this body of textual material, factoring in authorship,
and use this as the main body of primary source material. This will include looking at the
historical narratives that can be charted from these texts and how this is similar or different
from other historical writings, the specific word usage and the implications of this, as well as
human experiences as recorded in these texts. The case study for this period will be the conflict
in Taranaki from 1863-1866.