Books, Books and More Books

I’ve been collecting old books on matters Maori again. The first is A Dictionary of Maori Place Names by A.W.Reed and illustrated by James Berry. Published in 1961, it lists New Zealand place names and gives a concise meaning. Little ink sketches are a quirky addition. Tangata Whenua – The World of Maori is by D.M Stafford and was published by Reed in 1996. I guess in that regard it doesn’t really qualify as ‘old’ but it’s filled with good illustrations and some interesting facts. Last but least is a small boxed collection of leaflets on The Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand’s founding document. Over 500 Maori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown signed the Treaty in 1840. The leaflets the story of the Treaty, it’s journey and timeline – an excellent backgrounder to a document that still colours the political and cultural climate of this country. www.treatyofwaitangi.govt.nz