A new book from one of New Zealand's most celebrated social historians looks at the ideas that built our nation.
"The Origins of an Experimental Society: New Zealand from 1769 to 1840" traces the early interactions between Maori and the small population of European colonists, from Cook's voyages to the signing of the Treaty and beyond -- including why Europeans came to this land in the first place.
The author, Erik Olssen, tells Emile that neither Maori nor Europeans remained unchanged -- and this period of time created what he argues is a distinct identity, tangata Pakeha -- the Europeans who settled New Zealand, and now, their descendants.
'The Origins of an Experimental Society: New Zealand, 1769-1860' by historian Erik Olssen is on shelves May 8. Photo: Auckland University Press
