The Māori Whare after contact

Abstract

This study explores post-contact changes to the ordinary Māori whare. The main physical characteristics of the ordinary whare at contact are identified by accessing archaeological and written 18th century ethnographic data. Changes in the ordinary whare in the period from contact to 1940 are discussed. Evidence from historical archaeology, written 19th century ethnographic accounts and from previous academic research is considered. In addition, changes in the ordinary whare are highlighted, based on evidence from an empirical survey of whare depicted in sketches, paintings, engravings and photographs. Rigorous statistical analysis was beyound the scope of a Master's thesis, however trends in the data are presented. A range of these are reproduced illustrating the text. After changing gradually for 130 years, the ordinary Māori whare appears to have been widely replaced by European-style houses in the early decades of the 20th century.

In Aotearoa/New Zealand in the 1990s, it is apparent that Māori culture has survived the 220 or so years since contact. These years entailed increasing contact between Māori and European. In mid 20th century academic studies of Māori communities, European-style houses were found to have been used in line with continuing Māori conceptions. This evidence indicates that traditional ideas were transferred to European-style houses. The gradual changes in the whare prior to the 20th century indicate that it was a conservative social construction of space conforming to expectations about vernacular architecture generally. But the process by which Māori culture was maintained and reproduced was complicated that further study of Māori conceptions of space within the home is required.