THE ADVENT OF THE PAKEHA

Te Ao Hou, March 1960, Page 61

THE ADVENT OF THE PAKEHA At first the pakehas came in ones and twos—the missionary and the trader, the speculator, the deserter and the settler. As European immigrants became more numerous the inevitable tension of culture-contact set in—a tension that continues in various forms even today. Whether this tension was eased or overcome or whether it continued to chafe within the community very often depended on the Maori women. When an early settler, trader or missionary took a Maori woman as his wife, assistant, pupil or housemaid, she became the mediator between him and the Maori people with whom he wished to deal. She would explain him to them and vice versa. Of course, men and boys also served in this capacity, but it was the women who passed on the knowledge acquired—in English language and customs, in pakeha methods of housekeeping, and so on, together with the teachings and attitudes of Christianity—to the next generation through her close contact with her children. It appears from stories and written accounts of the early period of European settlement that the new teachings and modes of life appealed more to the Maori women than to their menfolk. Thus they found it easier to adapt themselves to their role in the changing world and as they changed they were able to assist others to adapt themselves and thus their status in this new environment was enhanced.