Reasons for the Disappearance of Maori from the Record:

We have puzzled over why this rich history has almost disappeared from the general record. It is certainly not from lack of evidence, and some historians such as Ruth Allan, Elvy and Peart, as well as modern writers like Mike Johnston, have recorded it and acknowledged its importance. Others, particularly in recent times, have simply ignored this aspect of our history, page 18perhaps for fear of making mistakes or causing offence, or through lack of knowledge of original sources. Articles in Historical Society Journals have kept many of the stories alive, but they are not widely available, and Ruth Allan's superb account of the first decade of the Nelson Settlement is out of print.

The conclusions we have reached to explain this gap in knowledge and understanding of our past can be summarised thus:

• • Although Maori names appear in many records they are often meaningless without a knowledge of whakapapa and an understanding of the individual's role and relationships. A chief's action on behalf of his tribe has far more significance, for example, than a slave's action. And, thorough as Elvy was in his collecting and recording of stories of the Kaikoura Coast and Wairau, his accounts make much more sense when the time period, the tribal affiliations and whakapapa of all of the main participants are known.
• • There is a small population of tangata whenua today, which makes it difficult for modem Pakeha to accept the significant numbers of Maori and the considerable influence they exerted in the early days of colonisation. This inability arises from ignorance of the history of the land dealings in Te Tau Ihu and ignorance of legislative history and its effects.
• • Some simply don't believe that Maori had the ability to play such an important part, and others are unwilling to acknowledge that their own ancestors may have been involved in discriminatory or unjust practices in their dealings with Maori.
• • Certain information was officially repressed and has only recently come to light.
• • Sometimes the truth is inconvenient. In this context, Tasman District Council's recent acknowledgement of its long term illegal squatting on Maori-owned land at the Collingwood campground should be applauded.
• • At other times sheer prejudice against another ethnic group plays a part.

In the earliest days of the Nelson Settlement, when Maori probably page 19outnumbered the new settlers, Europeans were beholden to Maori for their security, for local knowledge, and frequently for food. The Nelson Examiner published much detail of Maori activities, and relationships between Maori and officials, surveyors, businesspeople and farmers. Maori individuals were named, and their tribe or kainga was frequently referred to. As Europeans began to outnumber Maori, their skills, knowledge and produce were no longer required and new arrivals had no experience of being reliant on, sustained by, or working with Maori. Maori came to be referred to as "the natives", "the savages", or, sarcastically, as "our dusky brethren". No problems with political correctness in those days!

This was probably the first step in writing Maori out of the collective history. It also illustrated the breakdown in relationships between Maori and Europeans which, in the first years of settlement, had been characterised by generosity, mutual assistance and mutual respect.