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For ages 9+
Reviews
Trevor Agnew ~ It is not easy to pack two centuries of history into 48 pages, especially when they include events like Gate pa, but Debbie McCauley has done well. Not only has she written a simple bi-lingual narrative history (Maori translation by Tamati Waaka) but she has also provided a rich historical context with time-lines, fact-boxes, diary entries and brief biographies that bring history to life. I like the way that we meet individuals and see how their attitudes were formed, so that the complexities of tribal allegiances, warfare and land negotiations become more comprehensible. Issues are carried right up to the present day. The index is excellent, and Whare Thompson’s pencil drawings add life to the pages. It is important to point out that this interesting book will not only be useful in the Tauranga area but will also be a superb exemplar for students of our history in all parts of Aotearoa New Zealand. My hope is that it will inspire young historians to start researching the finer details of what happened in their own region.
Rebekah Fraser, NZ Booklovers ~ Author Debbie McCauley has once again produced a fantastic book that will be a taonga (treasure) to readers. Her dedication to research is evident, and the book functions on many different levels. It is a picture book, a simple story, a history textbook, an archive document, and a biography. It is richly illustrated with photographs, sketches, maps, and archive documents which all relate to the people written about. As with her previous books (Eliza and the White Camellia, Ko Mauao te Maunga) the book is bilingual. Just like Eliza and the White Camellia, The Treaty of Waitangi in Tauranga features a double page spread. The right-hand column features a simplified bilingual story, aimed at younger readers. The left-hand side of the book is a history lesson, rich in further reading, timelines, maps, and explanations. The full text of the Treaty is featured in both Māori and modern English towards the end of the book, as is a brief biography of every Tauranga treaty signatory. These pages make the book an absolute taonga for the descendants of those that signed the Treaty in Tauranga. Each signatory’s mark is documented, as well as their iwi and hapū, as well as the brief biography. McCauley has also done the same for the British witnesses to the signings – James Stack and Henry Taylor. A Tauranga Moana timeline is included that covers a huge range of events for the local area – from the arrival of the Ararauta waka in Tauranga, through the musket wars, New Zealand wars, and into the Treaty of Waitangi settlements of 2017. A glossary and extensive index are also included within the picture book, making it invaluable for research use. McCauley has also included ideas to help extend the reader, including researching their own whakapapa to making a quill.
