Missionaries in New Zealand

WHY Missionaries? Based on what you know about New Zealand in the early contact period, why do you think that missionaries wanted to come to New Zealand? How do you think missionaries would have been received by; Maori Europeans in NZ Why?

Increase in Missionary Activity Missionary activity was prominent as part of the Christian evangelical revival in 19th century Europe. Christians were actively teaching converts from within their own countries and from ‘heathen’ non- Christian countries.

Differences to other Europeans How do you think contact with missionaries may have differed from contact with whalers, sealers, traders etc. for Maori? Missionaries had an objective to CHANGE Maori society. Whalers, sealers, traders did create change in Maori society but this was not their main objective.

Importance? Do you think missionaries were more or less significance to race relations than other Europeans? Missionaries were of more significance for a number of reasons: The typically came to NZ to STAY They sought to change Maori life and society. Organisations often influenced government policy in Britain.

Rev. Samuel Marsden

First Missionaries in NZ The first mission station was established at Rangihoua by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1814. They were Anglicans (Church of England) They were led by Reverend Samuel Marsden and were invited to the region by the chief of Nga Puhi, Ruatara (remember we read about him!) Members included Thomas Kendall (teacher), William Hall (carpenter) and John King (shoe maker). How do you think they intended to encourage Maori into Christianity?

Initial Interactions Initally, after the development of the CMS mission in 1814, Maori dominated race relations. This was because: Missionaries were so badly resourced that they had to rely on Maori for food etc., so they could survive. Maori did not take long to discover that they did not need to adopt Christianity to have access to trade with missionaries. They were also aware that trade could be undertaken with other European settlers/visitors.

Complete the missionary profile activity

Reverend Henry Williams Henry Williams arrived in the Bay of Islands in 1823 and became a significant influence on the CMS mission. An ex-naval officer, Williams provided strong leadership and created unity among missionaries. This strong personality helped him to acquire mana for himself and other missionaries. Williams related well to Maori leaders and refused to be intimidated by them.

Williams’- Strategies Williams focused on spiritual teaching rather than civilisation to achieved conversion. He re-established schooling for Maori children. Williams reduced missionary involvement in trade with both Maori and traders at Kororareka. This le to missionaries becoming more self-sufficient. Williams encouraged missionaries to learn to speak Maori.