Aotearoa - Maori Recorder 1861-1862: Commentary

Ko Aotearoa or The Maori Recorder 1861-1862

Bibliographic Details    Background    Subject Matter    Availability

Bibliographic Details

Published: Auckland, 1861 (only two issues have been seen).

210 x 140mm., 24 pages (1861 issue) and 52 pages (1862 issue), single column, Maori and occasionally some English, issued only twice? no illustrations except for the woodcut surmounting the title, cost not specified (Maori tribes raised money to support the Maori press), coloured paper wrappers on which are printed the title, the table of contents, waiata, and extracts from Sir William Martin's pamphlet The Taranaki Question. In the second issue pages 1-16 are all in English under the title The Recorder; pages 17-32 are all in Maori under the title Ko Aotearoa. Some but not all of the contents of each section are translated. The imprint on the title page reads, "He mea ta i te Perehi o nga Iwi Maori" [Printed by the Press of the Maori People].

This paper was edited by Charles Davis. He notes that his greetings were formerly sent through other channels (Te Waka o Te Iwi and Te Whetu o Te Tau):"...but now I communicate directly with you through your own Printing Press 'Aotearoa' - I mua ake nei i haere taku mihi ki a koutou i runga i te taonga tangata: i naianei e haere atu ana i runga i to koutou taonga tupu, to koutou taonga ake i a 'Aotearoa'…" (January, 1861: 21-22).

For further physical details refer to Herbert W. Williams, A Bibliography of Printed Maori to 1900, Item 336.

This newspaper is written in Maori and English (some but not all of the contents in each section are translated).

Background

The newspaper strongly criticises the Government's actions in initiating war over land in Taranaki.

I te tau 1857 ka puta te karanga, "Hapainga a Aotearoa te Perehi ta pukapuka mo nga iwi Maori". Taringa rahirahi tonu nga tini iwi ki taua karanga, a takoto ana nga moni. Na Ngatitipa ki mua. Whakataua mai ana a muri e Ngatipaoa, e Ngatitamatera, e te Whakatohea, e Whaingaroa, e Aotea, e Kawhia, e Waikato katoa, e Mokau, e Taupo, e Whanganui, e Heretaunga, e Wairarapa, e Turanga, e Waiapu, e Whangaruru, e Kaipara, haunga te whakaaetanga o nga iwi kahore ano i kohikohi. Ko nga iwi i rere ki waho ko Ahuriri, ko te Wairoa, ko te Rarawa, ko tetahi taha o Ngapuhi (ibid. : 3) [In 1857 the call went out, "Support the printing press Aotearoa for the Maori people. " Many tribes heard that call and put down money. Ngati Tipa was first. After them came Ngati Paoa, Ngati Tama-te-ra, Whakatohea, then the people of Whaingaroa, Aotea, Kawhia, all of Waikato, and Mokau, Taupo, Whanganui, Heretaunga, Wairarapa, Turanga, Waiapu, Whangaruru, and Kaipara, and not counting the tribes in support who had not yet collected for it. Those who took no part are at Ahuriri, Te Wairoa, Te Rarawa and some Nga Puhi].

Ko nga taonga mo te tinana, kua oti;- nga mira, nga kaipuke, nga parau, nga kaata, nga hoiho, nga kau, nga hipi; a, i tenei takiwa i te tau 1860 ka oti te taonga mo te hinengaro - TE PEREHI (ibid. : 3) [The physical needs have been attained - mills, ships, ploughs, carts, horses, cattle, sheep; and now at this time, in 1860, for the mind we have - THE PRESS].

The Maori printing office was located in Auckland "as most of the tribes resort there" (ibid. : 5). The response to the press is indicated in this letter written by Tomairangi Papahia of Te Rarawa at Hokianga: Kua kite au i te perehi e rongo nei tatou, hari ana toku ngakau, me whakaaro tatou na tatou hoki tenei (ibid. : 21) [I have seen the printing press about which we have heard and my heart rejoices. We must make a contribution, for this is our own press.

Subject Matter

Content and subjects reported include:

  • the Maori printing press
  • the history of printing
  • the Taranaki war
  • Te Teira of Waitara
  • money and its use in the purchase of goods
  • newspapers
  • obituaries
  • letters to the Editor
  • waiata and hymns
  • biographical notes on Hori Pokai of Ngati Paoa and Matutaera Potatau, and on Governors Grey and Gore-Brown
  • speeches by Potatau Te Wherowhero at Waiuku
  • lists of wahi tapu (sacred sites) at Hiruharama
  • Tapuika, of Tapuika, near Maketu
  • fruit trees
  • horticulture
  • sheep farming
  • the solar system
  • recipes for "rewena paraoa" and "pokapoka paraoa" (different sorts of bread).

Availability

This newspaper is on microfilm and microfiche. Original copies are held at:

Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington:

1861Jan.
1862Jan.

Auckland Institute and Museum Library:

1861Jan.

Auckland Public Library:

1861Jan.
1862Jan.