Great-Great-Grandaughter

I first picked up a copy of Old New Zealand while studying in 1995. Anecdotally, I had heard extended family members speak intermittently about Maning. However, never really understood the significance of this Great-Great-Grandfather in the context of New Zealand’s early settlement and the term Pakeha-Maori. It has only been in more recent times that I have engaged with his writings.

When exploring one's own truth, it requires looking back and understanding what has come before. This I have found captivating. More importantly, my interest in the three women on the maternal side of my father’s descendants, all Maori women.

Maning wrote under the pseudonym of, “a Pakeha Maori”. Although not uncommon, he took a Maori woman as his wife. Moengaroa was a sister of Chief Hauraki Hikutu (TBC) from the Hokianga. There were benefits of such a union. Known as a notable early settler of Irish descent Maning settled in the Hokianga in 1833 and established himself as a trader of timber and flax. 

While reading my Great-Great-Grandfathers book I was intrigued by the language of his time. One such example is referring to his arrival by ship. “I am landed at last, certainly, but I am tattered and wet, and in a most deplorable plight; so to make my story short - for I see, if I am too particular, I shall never come to the end of it – I returned to the ship, put myself to rights, and came on shore next day with all my taonga, to the great delight of the chief and tribe. (1900, Pg.30) Taonga in Maori means a person’s property, possessions or goods.

The value of blogging while writing a manuscript creates an environment for ‘reflective practice’. In the context of my endeavours, I find this very beneficial. Although distracting from the writing itself I intuitively believe that the book, when completed, will be enriched by this practice. Time will tell!