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.