Colonial Injustices: The Māori Land Struggle

From the 1840s onward, Frederick Maning would become an increasingly bitter and angry man who demonised Māori who opposed colonisation. So what explains this radical transition from a romantic early Pākehā settler? RNZ's Black Sheep podcast investigates.

Frederick Maning was one of the first Europeans to settle in Aotearoa, marrying a high-ranking Ngāpuhi woman, and writing two books filled with colourful anecdotes of his time living alongside Māori. But attitude to his adopted land - and its people - twisted and turned over time, leaving a complicated legacy.

Maning was there for key moments in the early years of cross-cultural contact. He witnessed the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Māngungu, and allegedly counselled Māori against signing it; he took up arms in the Northern War (including the infamous Battle of Ōhaeawai); and was one of the first judges on the Native Land Court.

But while his books painted a romantic picture of his early life among Māori, Maning's private letters from later in life described Tangata Whenua using racist language, and advocated extreme violence against those who resisted colonisation.

In this two part episode of Black Sheep, we look at these two lives of Judge Frederick Maning.

For further reading:

• White Chief: the colourful life and times of Judge F E Maning of the Hokianga by John Nicholson
• Te Kooti Tango Whenua by Professor David V Williams
• Pakeha Maori: the early life and times of Frederick Edward Maning by David Calquhoun
• History of the War in the North of New Zealand by Frederick Maning
• Old New Zealand by Frederick Maning

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details