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NZSG Maori Interest Group Attention : MIG Secretary PO Box 8795 Symonds Street Auckland AKD 1035 NEW ZEALAND
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Māori Interest Group HOW TO - RESEARCH YOUR WHAKAPAPA A short guide to help you get started on this fascinating journey of discovering your tipuna (ancestors).
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Whakapapa: An introduction to researching Māori family history Māori Interest Group of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists Soft cover, A4 16 pp *$10.00 includes postage within New Zealand. *Postal charges subject to change without notice - current NZpost rates.
Do you have Māori ancestry but are unsure how to begin your research in this area of family history? This introductory booklet is for those who are new to the subject. It explains how whakapapa is different and then describes the records available and how to access and interpret these. Postal and email addresses are provided together with notes on helpful websites. A glossary of Māori words and their meanings together with images of many types of records are included.
Available from: The Secretary, NZSG Māori Interest Group, 17 Peterhouse Street, Tawa, WELLINGTON 6006 E-MAIL Please make cheques payable to the "NZSG Maori Interest Group". Do not send cash through the post.
WHAKAPAPA - FURTHER RESEARCH TIPS...
WHAKAPAPA - WHERE TO START? The New Zealand Genealogist - Vol 35, No 289 September/October 2004 pages 351-356
Kia ora,
Have you suddenly discovered an unexpected Maori connection in your family tree? If you are a New Zealander this is almost bound to happen sooner or later. Researching your Whakapapa or the genealogy of your Maori ancestors can be one of the most challenging things you can undertake in genealogy but it can also be one of the most rewarding aspects as well. All the usual rules of genealogical research apply but there is also some specific knowledge you will need to come by to make the task easier. I hope the few basic suggestions that follow will help you to get started on a fascinating journey of discovery and ultimately gives you a sense of pride and belonging to a unique history indigenous only to Aotearoa.
After you have gathered and exchanged what information you can within the immediate members of your family it is then appropriate to approach the Kaumatua (elders), to seek their further guidance. Many Pakeha and younger generations of Maori may not be aware that Maori Genealogy can be considered Tapu (sacred) knowledge and the permission of these respected members of the Whanau (family) should be sought where possible. Pay particular attention to what the Kaumatua can tell you as their knowledge is invaluable as they are the last living link to an incredible amount of information and a tradition extending back many generations. Maori was originally a purely oral language so Whakapapa were committed to memory and not kept as written records. At this point a small degree of understanding of protocol must be appreciated when dealing with your Whakapapa and this includes an awareness of “Tapu” (sacred) and “Noa” (without tapu). Tapu and Noa can involve a complicated structure with numerous connotations, although these have greatly lessened in recent times, but in genealogy there are two very basic points to remember;
1. Whakapapa should not be viewed while consuming food or drink 2. Dissemination of the Whakapapa should be carefully considered. It is a taonga and not to be treated lightly. Ultimately Maori trace their descent back to the arrival of the first waka (canoes), which arrived from Hawaiiki (generally accepted as being Hawaii or in this vicinity of islands). Each waka then gave rise to individual Iwi (tribes) descending from the first arrivals from that particular waka; The Iwi is made up of both “Whanau” (extended family) with a number of Whanau gathered together forming a “Hapu” (sub-tribe). The prefix “Ngati” (people of) would indicate the tribe i.e. Ngati “Maniapoto” (approximating “People of the Waikato”). The MIG website has a map showing the geographical distribution of the tribes and iwi.
Many Marae have produced Centennial Booklets and Marae Histories. The Marae will also have on display photographs of many Tipuna (Ancestors). Members of the Marae can give you a great deal of significant information to help your research such as local Urupa (Cemeteries), Iwi affiliations, other family names and Hapu histories and more. The NZSG Maori Interest Group has contact details for approximately 460 Marae throughout Aotearoa. Urupa can be a great source of Whakapapa material; Kohatu (Headstones) can include such details as Birth and Death dates, Spouse and Tamariki (Children’s) names. It is also a good opportunity to pay your respects and appreciate our ancestors who gave us so much by way of their Mana. All local Councils can also advise you on the whereabouts of Cemeteries within their district. These District Councils also hold records of burials, and both Cemetery and Plot Maps. A large number of Headstones have also been transcribed by the NZSG and further details can be found through the NZSG Cemetery Records Indexes;
Included in the aspect of ‘Historical Societies’, it is also worth consulting any books dealing with your area of interest, particularly if there have been any Iwi Histories published, including any books already in print about your family, local histories and specialist publications. If you are unable to visit the library in your specific area of interest, most items can be borrowed through Inter-library loan. The NZSG also has an extensive library catalogue, which can be searched online or through hardcopy and includes several relevant publications purchased by the Maori Interest Group. Newspapers (and Government Gazettes) have obviously, always been a good source of Birth, Death and Marriage Notices, Obituaries, Weddings and Anniversaries, other articles may include Court Cases, Coroner’s Inquests, Accidents, War Casualties and other less traumatic newsworthy events. Historical newspapers are usually found at the local Library in your area of interest and have usually been Indexed these days for easy searching such as the Thames Newspapers through the “Hills Index.” The National Library also has an extensive newspaper collection, including digital imaging of the Māori Niupepa newspaper between 1842—1933 www.nzdl.org/niupea Contact National Library for further clarification on their current fees and services;
From 1902 until 1956 Whangai, Tamaiti (Adopted Child) or Maori adoptions were published in "Kahiti" and the "NZ Gazette". This public acknowledgement of an adoption was accepted protocol during this time period and held significance to Maori. The "NZ Gazette" listed the adoptee name, adopting parents and residence, and the names of the child’s birth parents. Libraries in all the major centres (incl. Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch that I am personally aware of) have their own collections of the ‘New Zealand Gazette’ to varying degrees and I suggest you contact the Library in your area of interest to enquire as to the extent of their own NZ Gazette collections.
Archives New Zealand has the most comprehensive collection of the Gazette and information on Maori adoptions in general that I am aware of, again contact Archives NZ to see if they hold the records that you are particularly interested in;
The NZSG also holds records pertaining to the NZ Gazette, the librarians will be able to give you more specific details as to the actual format of the Gazette records held at the NZSG Family Research Centre, Panmure nzsg-contact@genealogy.org.nz Please remember to include your NZSG number and a SSAE if making contact via post.Maori Land Courts were also able to make Adoption Orders and these may be referred to in their Minute Books, although the actual records would be held at the Maori Land Court District Office, at the MLC Registry there is an “Information Officer,” who is there to help researchers, contact this officer at the MLC Office for further advice on their holdings. Otherwise the MLC can advise you of the whereabouts of the relevant records.
There are also records relating to Maori adoptions 1923-1952 in the Archives of the Department of Child Welfare, although privacy restrictions may apply;
One other suggestion is to contact the NZ Gazette Office directly, whom should be able to advise you of the whereabouts of their archival material if the above avenues fail (but I would think they would refer you to Archives NZ);
Further details on the Maori Land Court follow below. Research fees may also apply so check with all Departments first. Military Records are available through the LDS (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Family History Library on microfiche throughout New Zealand. Many Maori fought alongside their Pakeha contemporaries while others fought within at least two Maori Battalions, the first being the well known 28th Maori Battalion and the second the lesser heard of but by no means less distinguished Maori Pioneer Battalion. The Auckland City Library in particular have an extensive collection of New Zealand War records, including the Land Wars - Appendices to The Journals of the House of Representatives also lists Waikato Prisoners of War treated during this time (1866-1872), Boer War (1899-1902), WWI (1914-1918), WWII (1939-1945) and both Korea (1950-1953) and Vietnam (1964-1975). NZ Defence will supply, (one per year, free of charge) the personal file of any deceased member of the NZ armed forces. There have also been several books published on these subjects with Nominal Rolls included; however check the NZSG Library Index first. Interment records and Headstone transcriptions sometimes list Maori captives buried in local Cemeteries. Other sources are local newspapers of that period and Government Intelligence Reports such as the ‘Hansard Reports’ of the 1880’s.
Between 1911 to 1952 for Marriages and 1913 to 1962 for Births and Deaths, Maori BMD events were recorded separately with the registration of Maori Births and Deaths becoming compulsory in 1913. Nevertheless, some Maori entries can still be found amongst the Pakeha entries but it is not uncommon especially for earlier events to find many Maori BMD entries do not exist altogether. In 1952 the individual Maori and Pakeha Marriage laws and registration systems were amalgamated with the amalgamation of Birth and Death occurring in 1962 finally bringing both Maori and Pakeha BMD together as one. When searching the BMD Indexes for Maori entries, you must be aware of looking under both an individual’s first and last names and any aliases used as before 1900 Maori surnames were not commonly used – Maori people usually had both a tribal name and also a name easy for Pakeha to pronounce. Maori of Pakeha descent may also have used their father’s name and a Maori translation of that name. Below are just a very small example of both surname and first name translations;
When all else fails try the General Indexes – your person might well be listed there. It was also common practice for a son to take his father’s first name as his own surname i.e. in my own family Henare TIKITINI was the son of Tikitini – the translation being Henry SEXEY son of [Charles] SEXEY. When requesting a BMorD Certificate from Central Registry, always purchase a “photocopy” (digital image) as these are ideal for genealogical purposes, cheaper than an actual “Certificate” and can include additional information such as the informant and occasionally notes in the margin. Photocopies of the following registrations are available from Central Registry, Lower Hutt and the Births, Deaths and Marriages office Auckland, on request: Pakeha Births 1848-1930 inclusive All Births 1972 - to date Pakeha Deaths 1848 - to date Pakeha Marriages 1854-1960 inclusive All Marriages 1973 - to date Search fees are payable for extended searches. NB: Photocopies are not able to be provided for every registration due to faded ink or poor quality microfilming. Contact Central Registry for further clarification on their current fees and services;
Intentions to Marry are held at the National Archives, these records start from 1856. They can be most helpful because they started much earlier than Marriage records. Electoral Rolls. It is necessary to check both general and Maori Electoral Rolls as Maori have the option of enrolling on the general or the Maori rolls. The general rolls are available from 1853 when there was a property qualification. All men were enfranchised in 1879 and women in 1893. Maori voters’ rolls are available for 1908 and 1919 (the former lists only the names of those who actually voted, not those who were entitled to do so). Maori rolls for 1949 and 1951 are important in that they give the iwi or tribe of the person. In 1867 Maori males over the age of twenty-one years were given the right to vote, this included [Maori] women from 1893. Most libraries both regional and metropolitan keep copies of the current electoral rolls, however the older records can be found at Archives New Zealand, and in most instances the rolls give name, address, occupation and Iwi. Missionaries arrived in New Zealand very early in the 1800’s (Samuel MARSDEN delivered his first sermon in the Bay of Islands on the 25th December 1814), and the Baptismal, Marriage and Burial records held by the Church Archives are another valuable source of information. I have personally used the Anglican Archives whose records date from 1832 with over 1640 Registers in their collection. Contact the Anglican Diocese for further clarification on their current fees and services;
You may need to contact other Churches [Methodist/Catholic/Presbyterian etcetera] for details on the records contained in their Archives. In the absence of a Birth or Baptism Certificate, it is possible that School records could give an exact Date of Birth (or at least a very close guesstimate of an individual’s age) when the child was registered at the School. Mission Schools were established as early as the 1820’s, the renowned St Stevens Maori Boys High School near Auckland being established by Bishop SELWYN in 1849. Until the 1860’s, the government subsidized church schools for the Maori. Early missionary schools were often conducted in the Maori language, the Native Schools Act 1867 established a national system for the education of Maori and education was made compulsory in 1877. Check the rolls of both Board and Native schools in your area as the racial distinctions were not hard and fast. Contact Archives New Zealand for further clarification on their current fees and services;
The names of more than 350 Maori Schools from 1879 to 1969 can also be found in the New Zealand Index Annual at the NZSG Family Research Centre, Panmure, which was first issued in 1899 and during the period of the Civil system approximately 150 Maori Registration Offices are also listed. School records may include such information as Name, Date of Birth, Guardians Name, Date Enrolled, Last School attended, Date Left, and where they moved to etc. The NZSG also have an extensive and ongoing Schools Project with access to over 1.36 million records relating to school records and any queries should be directed to; NZSG Schools Project Coordinator NZSG Contact details above. Another possible source for that elusive Birth, Death or Marriage date is the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. This resource is available online at http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/ and also in hardcopy through most local libraries; it includes information on many noteworthy Maori, commencing around 1870. The old age pension was introduced in Aotearoa in 1898 and in the absence of a Birth Certificate, many applicants had to swear out an official declaration attesting to their assumed age – these may not be entirely accurate by one or two years either side of the stated age, but it will at least give you a date that the individual celebrated their Birthday on. Old Age Pension records are also held by Archives New Zealand, Wellington and Regional offices in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. Historical Land Claims can also be an untapped resource for the Whakapapa - the Maori Land Court Minute Books are also an important source of genealogical material as these can contain the Whakapapa of claimants to prove land ownership by descent (succession) and marriage etc, although it must be appreciated that not all of the Whakapapa may be entirely accurate as some family trees were falsified to claim another’s Lands. The Maori Land Court is divided into districts of responsibility;
The Maori Land Court records can include information such as Whakapapa links; Appeals to incorrect genealogies and other evidence; Hapu circa 1900; Private Cemeteries; Deaths and places of Death; Land titles investigated 1870-1890’s and Owner registrations 1870-1890’s. Contact the MLC in your area of interest or Head Office for further clarification on their current fees and services. Other MLC repositories include the Alexander Turnbull Library (National Library, Wellington), Auckland University Library, Archives New Zealand and the NZSG. Contact the MLC for further clarification on their current fees and services;
Early Maori Land Court cases in the Auckland area from 1865 are also listed in the Auckland Provincial Government Gazette which includes Returns for the Sale of Crown Land to Pakeha after the land was sold to the Crown by Maori. AJHR - Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives can be consulted at The National Library Wellington, University of Canterbury Library and Wellington Public Library. AJHR include reports on Maori land valuations, names of owners and Native Reserves Act Reports together with whanau groupings.
Bishop SELWYN conducted the first comprehensive Maori Census in 1844. Other Maori census years include: 1857, 1874, 1878, 1881, 1886, 1891, 1896, 1901, 1906, 1911, 1916, 1921, 1926, 1936, 1945, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, and 1996. Most municipal libraries hold Census records. National Library (The Alexander Turnbull Library) in Wellington has a Biographies Index. You may find some records of interest about one of your family here. This Index also contains ordinary people - not just the famous or infamous. Less considered sources of information are hospital records and photograph collections; Regional offices of National Archives hold Hospital records from the Boards within their district. National Archives, Auckland have compiled an Index of the Auckland Hospital Board Admission Registers. I have personal used these records and apart from medical information, other details can include, place of residence, next-of-kin and fees payable to the Hospital. Privacy laws are obviously in place for more recent medical matters, this refers only to publicly accessible archival material. Contact Archives NZ Auckland Regional Office for further clarification on their current fees and services;
Every Library and Museum throughout the country has Photographic Collections which are usually well indexed where the subject matter has been identified. Contact both the local Library and Museum in your area of interests and request a search of their Indexes for any mention of your family – fees may apply so ask first, copies of most photographs are usually possible at reasonable prices. Similarly most Libraries and Museums have copies of Historical Maps. Councils are also a good source of mapping to consider. Alternatively contact the University of Auckland Geographic Library or Archives New Zealand. Records commenced in the 1840's and in most instances these maps can be photocopied. The Maori Interest Group publishes a quarterly newsletter - Te Reo and has a website at www.rcyachts.net/maori Here you can find a brief dictionary of Maori/English words and names as well as a members’ name interests list. Membership is free to all financial members of the NZSG and all members are welcome to have research queries published in the newsletter.
You can also contact the NZSG Maori Interest Group through the NZSG Family Research Centre, write to;
You will eventually become an amateur detective when researching your Whakapapa, consider all possibilities, even lateral research. Genealogy is about sharing and giving, not just taking, of a unique heritage. Whakapapa is private and personal information and to be exchanged at family gatherings and preserved as a sacred Taonga (treasure). Haere Ra, Kia Kaha.
Bruce MATHERS/Puruhi MATERA MIG Webmaster & Newsletter Editor, Te Reo
FOOTNOTE:
LUCY MARSHALL AWARD
We are thrilled to announce our Whakapapa - Where to Start? article [The New Zealand Genealogist - Vol 35, No 289 September/October 2004 pages 351-356] received the 'Lucy Marshall Award' at the 2005 NZSG AGM - The Lucy Marshall Award is presented annually. This award is for a previously unpublished article of a "how to" nature written by a member and published in the NZSG magazine.
DISCLAIMNER: This information is offered in good faith as a general reference source only, which is intended to cover some of the very basic steps in beginning and researching your Whakapapa/genealogy and as such, is not offered as a comprehensive research guide whatsoever. Further indepth research should be undertaken by the individual(s) concerned. The Society, MIG and their executives cannot vouch for the accuracy or availability of any reference material referred to - contact details are current at the time of printing (The New Zealand Genealogist - Vol 35, No 289 September/October 2004 pages 351-356). E. & O.E
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