A history of the Ellison whanau of Otakou

Abstract

The Ellisons are a leading Ngai Tahu whanau. In this dissertation I use the Ellisons to interpret and examine the Ngai Tahu experience of cross-cultural encounter from the 1830s until the early twentieth century. Specifically, I examine the extent to which the Ellison whanau and their achievements represent the shifting nature ofNgai Tahu community leadership during this time. The Ellisons represent broader changes in Ngai Tahu and Maori history at a particular historical moment. Through their story we see the impact of interracial contact during the shore-whaling era, the importance and significance of marriage and whanau to leadership, Ngai Tahu involvement and interaction with Christianity, and by the late nineteenth century the addition of education to Christianity as important and valued qualities of community and tribal leaders. As this dissertation shows education and Christianity existed alongside other important tribal modes of determining leadership and achievement. The Ellisons offer an opportunity to explore the changing meaning of leadership within the Otakou community, and help to understand the extent to which a western and Christian education redefined Ngai Tahu leadership and success in the late nineteenth century. By the early decades of the twentieth century the Ellison whanau rose as leaders of their community through their success as professionals, sportsmen, and in cultural activities, which were developed and nurtured through strong kinship ties. It is this relationship between kinship and achievement which links leadership and success closely together within this story. […] [Extract from Introduction]